The betrayal of madness
by Jaguarin
Summary: Would Oracle betrayal the birds? Final chapter up Complete.
1. Dark angel anger

Night. Cold. Rain. A combination that sometimes annoyed the Huntress. She loved to feel free, look at the city under her feet, as if she was the owner of it. She was crouched over a store looking down. Some drops fell down her nose but she was unmoving, waiting, for her prey: some men were outside a computer factory trying to open the door.  
  
::What are we waiting for?:: she heard Dinah's voice at the mic.  
  
::Wait, Huntress will give you the signal.:: Oracle's voice answered her. "How is it Huntress?::  
  
"Pretty good." She said. "Just a minute."  
  
The men broke the door.  
  
Huntress smiled and jumped down. "I think we can start the party... now." She said landing in the floor surprising the men.  
  
::Now?:: Dinah asked.  
  
"Now is now Dinah!" Huntress said. She punched the two first and bend down to avoid a piece of wood hit her head.  
  
"Would be nice if you would have told me" Dinah appeared making two guys fly with her powers.  
  
"You want an invitation?" Huntress kicked a guy and duck to avoid his fit. She kicked him and entered inside the building.  
  
"No, but at least a three, two, one..." Dinah punched a man and crashed against the wall other one moving her hand and followed her.  
  
"Keep your eyes open." Huntress said as she hit another man inside the store. A man grabbed Huntress arms by her back.  
  
"I keep it open. I have mind powers but I can't guess what are you going to do. We are partners." Dinah said kicking a henchman.  
  
"I know we are partners..." Huntress raised her legs and kicked a second guy that tried to hit her. She moved back and hit the back of the henchmen against the wall. He released her; Huntress turned and knocked him with a hit over his nose.  
  
"Doesn't seem like it..." Dinah said feeling really upset; she hated the arrogant attitude of Huntress.  
  
Helena moved her head and turned to see Dinah. A henchman was behind her and hit her with a piece of stick on her head. The man put his arm around her neck and raised her; she struggled but before she could use her powers another guy hit her in the stomach. Huntress heard her cry. She hit the guy in front of her and kicked the one that was on her back. She ran toward Dinah and punched the man that over her friend. The thief that was holding Dinah threw her to the floor and tried to hit the brunette but she ducked and turned to give him a hard kick on his jaw. She turned and kicked a man that was on his back.  
  
The men began to run away. The one that had been hitting the blond girl turned and pointed the gun at the blond girl that was lying on the floor. Huntress charged against him, he shot again.  
  
"Huntress!" Dinah shouted.  
  
* * *  
  
At Clock Tower Barbara heard the two gunshots. She almost jumped out of her seat. "Huntress, talk to me." She heard blows and grunting "Dinah? What is happening?" She looked the two lights in the screen but neither of the two answered her. "What is happening?"  
  
::You must be careful!:: she heard Huntress voice.  
  
::You must be careful not me! Are you nuts? Are you trying to kill your self?:: Dinah voice was heard.  
  
::No, I was saving your life!::  
  
::Jumping toward a man pointing you with a gun?::  
  
"Hey you two, stop!! You are working!" Oracle shouted  
  
* * *  
  
Huntress put her hand over her receiver. "Oracle we are just talking." She felt annoyed; Dinah had acted careless. She walked to her partner "Are you crazy? Dinah never do that again!"  
  
::Well, can you talk about it later after you dispose of the bad guys?:: Oracle said.  
  
"At this moment i'm thankful i don't have sisters." Dinah grumbled.  
  
"Sorry kid, you are lost. I took you under my wing, and if you want continue patrolling with me better don't do again another stupid thing like that one!" Huntress kneeled and tried to examine her.  
  
Dinah pushed her hand back. "Don't touch me!"  
  
"You are bleeding! Don't try to be smart in this moment, okay? Can you stand up?"  
  
"I'm dizzy."  
  
"Oracle, Dinah is hurt."  
  
::Something serious?::  
  
"No, I don't think so, but she will need some stitches on her head." Huntress glared to the man that had pointed her with a gun and walked toward him. She pushed the man against the wall. "Okay, I'm pissed, talk."  
  
"I would kill the bitch and you...!" the man tried to hit Huntress but she ducked and punched him on his stomach.  
  
"Don't call her a bitch!" She shouted hitting him against the floor. She put his knee against his throat. "I'm asking you why you tried to shot my partner? Why you are stealing this computer factory?"  
  
"What?" the man blinked and looked her scared.  
  
"Don't try to be smart!" Huntress hit his back against the floor "Tell me then what are you doing here?"  
  
"I don't know! I was in the street and..." the men said.  
  
Huntress eyes turned feral. "Who is your boss?"  
  
"I'm just a lawyer... I don't know who are you"  
  
Huntress hit the man in the face. "Open your big mouth and tell me who is your boss. This is not the first robbery."  
  
The man tried to punch her but she avoided it and she gave him a blow on his face. "I'm not in mood to play, I'm going to ask you once more." she shouted.  
  
"I told you I don't know stupid bitch!" the man yelled.  
  
Huntress felt angry and slammed her fits on her face. The men tried to protect his face covering it with his hands. Dinah held her arm before she could hit him again. "Huntress stop!"  
  
"Go away!" Huntress growled and pulled her arm.  
  
Dinah needed pushed her twice to move her away from him. "That's enough!" she looked the man bleeding.  
  
::The police are near, get out of there you two.:: Oracle said.  
  
Huntress grabbed him by the lapel. "Point that gun at her or me again and the next time you may not be so lucky."  
  
"Helena don't...!" Dinah said.  
  
"Don't tell me what I can or can not do!" Huntress dropped the man and stormed out of the building.  
  
"What's the matter with you?" Dinah exclaimed following her outside the building.  
  
"Sorry kid," Huntress faced her mad saying in loud voice "I can't be nice with a thief that hit you and pointed a gun at you! Do you want me to kiss his ass?"  
  
"You could kill him!"  
  
"What business is it of yours?" Huntress shouted. Her faces were near. Dinah bit her lips; she want hit her.  
  
::Huntress, Dinah, discussions later.::  
  
"Fine! You can go kid; Oracle needs to check your head. I'll wait for Reese here. See you later kid." Huntress jumped to the next roof.  
  
"Don't call me kid!" Dinah saw her disappear and walked fuming toward the Hummer.  
  
* * *  
  
A man looked Huntress and Dinah walked out the place. He was angry; those women had frustrated his plans. He walked between the unconscious henchmen. He kicked one of them in the stomach and he rolled over, he had his fist in ball but he opened his hand. The man saw small object there. He kneeled and picked up it. It seemed be a small earring with bat form.   
  
* * *   
  
A few minutes later the police arrived. It was still raining. Huntress waited patiently over a rooftop feeling the drops running over her face. She had turned off her mic, she felt still pissed with Dinah. She had took off her defenses for being discussing. That mistake almost cost her life. After finishing all his investigations Reese walked toward his car. Huntress looked at him and went to his car. She was there waiting for him when he stood up next to the front door.  
  
"Hey, you are soaked." He said.  
  
"It's part of the job." She answered.  
  
Reese didn't seem to be so happy. Huntress cocked her head. "Something is wrong?"  
  
"You and Dinah trapped them?" he asked.  
  
"Yes... why?"  
  
Reese moved his jaw and looked to a side putting his hands over his waist. "Six men, all said not remember anything about the robbery... And one is dead."  
  
Huntress blinked. "...What?"  
  
"You fought against them... I thought you would know."  
  
"...No... how?"  
  
"We don't know, maybe the post mortem could give us an idea."  
  
Reese showed her a pic. It was the man that had pointed Dinah with a gun. The picture showed him bleeding and with several bruises. "Or could you give me an idea?"  
  
"An Idea?" Huntress raised her brown.  
  
"It seems as if some one blow him very hard..."  
  
"He tried to kill Dinah..."  
  
"I know but..." Reese moved his head.  
  
"What are you trying to tell me?" Huntress eyes turned feral.  
  
"Im not saying anything Huntress, I just hope that those bruises don't be the cause of the dead."  
  
Huntress didn't know what to answer.  
  
"You know what will happen if the post mortem tell us that the bruises are the cause of death." He said giving his back to her. "I'm worried. I promise to call you as soon as I know something."  
  
He gently kissed her softly and entered in his car. Huntress stood up freezed; after a few seconds she was back to the reality. She sighed and turned on her comm.  
  
"Oracle, do you need me today?"  
  
::I want to talk with you and Dinah.::  
  
"Can we do it tomorrow? It's too late, I'm soaked, I'm tired and it's cold." She heard a silence in the com. She knew Oracle was disgusted. "Please? You can hit my ass tomorrow if you want."  
  
::Okay, I see you tomorrow.::  
  
Oracle answered. 


	2. Cat caged

Huntress jumped to the next rooftop and went home. She arrived to her appartment and took off her clothes letting them fall on the floor. She turned on the water and took a warm bath. She put her hands on the wall and felt the hot water on her back. She couldn't forget her fight against that man. He tried to kill Dinah.  
  
The picture. She really had hit him very hard. She felt confused; she didn't want to kill him. She didn't want. She closed her eyes, when she opened them the water was red. It was blood red. She jumped stepped back and taking a towel she cleaned her body. But her hands were still stained in red.  
  
She woke up trembling that night. She looked around, she was alone. She cleaned her forehead and sat on her bed. She went to the fridge and opened the door; it was empty and only had inside a freeze piece of cake and a bottle of water. She growled and took off the bottle of water. She drank all the water and rested her head on the fridge. She hated those guilty feeling. She slided her back over the fridge door and sat on the floor she cleaned again her forehead with her hand. She looked through the window the light of the moon. She sighed,it was going to be a long night.  
  
* * *  
  
Helena stepped into the Clock Tower the next afternoon; she tried to seem as normal as usual, but Reese's comment had left her shocked. She felt guilty; they had discussed the issue of killing many times. But this had taken her off guard.  
  
Dinah was doing her homework in front of a computer. Barbara noticed that Helena was inside. She turned her wheelchair and glared at her in silence.  
  
Helena sighed knowing what was next. "What?"  
  
"I'm waiting for your explanation." Said Oracle looking at both girls. "What happened out there?"  
  
Helena turned pale. Had she spoken to Reese? She didn't know what to say.  
  
"She always jumps into danger without even thinking!" Dinah finally said.  
  
"Helena?" Barbara asked.  
  
Helena sighed with relief. They still didn't know about the dead man.  
  
"She jumped over a thief when he was pointing a gun at her." Dinah moved her head. "He missed by millimeters."  
  
"Oh please!" Helena exclaimed raising her hands. "That man was pointing a gun at you! He was going to shoot you! He beated you!"  
  
"Helena, you jumped between him and me!"  
  
"What do you expect me to do? Stay there and watch him shoot you?"  
  
"Why did you hit him so angrily?"  
  
"I don't like answering questions." Helena growled glaring at the blond girl. "I don't like interrogations. He was going to kill you! I was saving your ass!"  
  
"He didn't kill me!" Dinah said angrily.  
  
"Yes and I prevented that!"  
  
"Enough!" Barbara shouted. "Helena, I've told you so many times to take precautions in a fight and not to be so rude, we are the good guys. Keep in mind that we are a team. Dinah, I don't want to hear any discussion while you two are fighting. Before or afterwards I don't care of you two kill each other, but I don't want to see you distracted by fighting with each other. The criminals would take advantage of that and hit you. Don't help them! Okay?"  
  
Both girls looked down.  
  
"I don't hear you!." Barbara said with firm voice.  
  
"Yes!" both said at same time.  
  
"Good. Now let's get back to our case. Huntress, what did Reese tell you?"  
  
"That none of the men remember anything about the robbery." She said moving nervously. She needed to tell her. "and... and that one of them was dead."  
  
Barbara and Dinah turned to look at her at the same time. "What?" Barbara asked.  
  
"Reese is waiting for the post mortem information to tell us what happened to him."  
  
"What guy was it?" Dinah felt stunned.  
  
Helena took a picture of the guy out of her pocket and showed it to her. Dinah recognized the man; she looked at Helena while Barbara examined the picture.  
  
"Holy..." Barbara exclaimed "Who beat this guy?" she glared at Helena.  
  
The brunette took a deep breath. "Me.." she said.  
  
"You.." Barbara looked at the picture again.  
  
"Yes me."  
  
"How did this man die?" Barbara seemed to be really annoyed.  
  
"I don't know. Reese didn't know either. He doesn't have bullet wounds or anything... Just... just the bruises from our fight." Helena said in bad mood "We need to wait until the post mortem exam is finished."  
  
"And what do you think?" Barbara was pressing her. Dinah felt the tension between the two women increasing.  
  
"What do I think about what?"  
  
"Well you were there, I would like to hear your point of view on this."  
  
"I didn't' kill him! Okay?" Helena shouted. "I just hit him!"  
  
"I'm not saying that you killed him, I'm asking your opinion." Barbara said in a cold voice. "Why do you believe that I think you killed him?"  
  
"God Barbara! You are pushing me just because I beat a thief!"  
  
"I have told you many times that you must control your temper!"  
  
"I control it!"  
  
"Yes? You do?" Barbara faked a laugh "Explain to me then, what happened tonight."  
  
"That man tried to shoot Dinah, I stopped it from happening! Is that hard to understand?" Helena was losing her patience. She pointed Dinah, "You should be thanking me and not trying to push me into the lions den!" she began to pace around the place.  
  
"Helena no one is pushing you into anything." Barbara said. "I think you are feeling guilty."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Helena glared at her.  
  
"Imagine that you did kill him by accident, because you went past your limits, how would you feel?" Barbara asked her.  
  
"What?" the question disconcerted the brunette.  
  
"Answer me. How would you feel about that?"  
  
"We are not discussing that now!"  
  
"So what's this whole mess about?"  
  
The Delphi alert turned on. The women looked at the screen.  
  
"It's Reese calling you." Barbara said.  
  
"I'm on my way." Helena saw it as a good opportunity to avoid Barbara and walked toward the elevator.  
  
"We aren't finished with our conversation yet, okay?" Barbara said as she watched her go. The elevator door closed. Dinah looked at her in silence. Barbara moved her head. "You have just seen the reaction of a caged cat."  
  
* * * 


	3. Trap

Yes, I posted wrong the same chapters at the same page. Sorry, I fixed it  
  
****  
  
Helena jumped between the rooftops. It help her to calm down; she loved it. She really loved it. That call was done in the better moment; Barbara had her knee over her throat.  
  
::We aren't finished with our conversation yet, okay?:: she heard her mentor's voice at the comm.  
  
"Yes, I know Oracle. You want see me against the wall again."  
  
::I don't want see you against the wall.::  
  
"Can we talk later please?" Huntress crouched over a building; Reese was down on the street.  
  
::Yes, later. And we will have this conversation..::  
  
"Huntress out.::  
  
Neither of them realized that some one else was listening to their conversation.  
  
Reese was outside of the Police department pacing impatiently. It had started raining again. He hated the rain. When he turned around he felt his entire body jump in a moment of panic. He stepped a few inches back. Huntress stood in front of him.  
  
Huntress smirked. "You called?" She loved when he reacted like that. "Yes, yes... some day... some day I.."  
  
"Some day what?" she took him by the neck and pulled him into a kiss.  
  
He broke the kiss to take air after some seconds "Why was that for?"  
  
"I just wanted it." Helena stepped back smiling.  
  
"That's cheating;" he said gasping "You know I couldn't do anything against that." "Glad to hear that." Huntress raised her brow.  
  
"Hey," he said stepping towards her. "You're soaked to the bone."  
  
"I know, I can't use an umbrella being a crime fighter." She said looking up to the rain. "Though to be honest that is an amusing visual."  
  
Reese reached into his jacket and took out a plastic bag with a small chip inside of it. He raised it in front of her.  
  
"What is this?" she asked, taking it from him.  
  
"We found it in the back of the neck of the man that we found dead last night."  
  
Huntress was afraid to ask. "And?"  
  
"We examined the other henchmen, they don't remember anything. They are all civilians without prior criminal records. The man was dead because this chip damaged his brain. The other men had a thing like this one; but we haven't quite figured out how to get the chips out of them just yet."   
  
"But... I don't understand..."   
  
"The chip failed. He didn't die because you hit him. It was the chip, but I don't know how it works."  
  
Huntress sighed, relief washing over her. She looked at him "Do you want me to give it to Oracle?" She turned the bag over in her hands. "Yes, I did the dirty work and stole the chip. Now is your turn." Reese gave her a light smile.  
  
He reached out for her and drew her towards him. Sliding his hands against her neck he leaned down and gave her a deep kiss. It lasted for several seconds. Finally Huntress broke away, gasping for air. Surprise in her tone she stammered,"Wow. what was that for?"  
  
"I just wanted it." Reese grinned. She smiled at her, eyes bright. Shaking her head she turned to jump towards one of the buildings. It was time to get moving again. "Huntress" Reese called after her. The brunette turned to see him. "Be more careful next time. You beat him pretty bad. You will hurt someone seriously one of the days."  
  
Huntress nodded and jumped.  
  
* * *  
  
Helena walked into the Clock Tower. She moved to stand in front of Barbara. "Something for your amusement." she said putting the plastic bag on the desk. Barbara stopped to type at the computer and looked the small object. She looked at it for a moment and then glanced up at Helena. "What is this?"  
  
Helena walked around so that she was standing next to Barbara who had taken the plastic bag and raised it into the air. "Reese gave it to me. Somebody installed that chip in the back of the head of the dead man. He DIED because the chip failed and damaged his brain." She sat in a chair next to Barbara and pushed it with her feet causing her to spin a complete circle. "So, I didn´t kill the man. Are you happy now?" She locked eyes with her mentor. "This doesn't excuse your behavior if that is your question." Helena sighed and rested her back against the chair. Dinah ran down the stairs and joined the two women at the lab table. "Do you have something?" she asked the brunette.  
  
"I'm innocent if that is your question. I didn't kill that man." Helena said, her mood darkening again. She stood up, her heels clicking the floor.  
  
She called to the loyal butler in loud voice "Alfred, Do you have something for dinner?" "Change out of those clothes first," Barbara muttered, still looking at the small object "You're soaked to the bone. I bet you end up catching a cold." "Yes mom." Helena said making fun of her. Barbara glared at her.  
  
"Everything is okay?" Dinah asked to the red head. "Yes, it seems as if this thing killed the man." she fingered the chip inside the bag " I need to work on this now. Go to dinner with Helena."  
  
Dinah kept an eye on Helena "She is in a bad mood. I don't think is a good idea. I prefer to stay with you if you don't mind you." Barbara looked at her and then over towards Helena's retreating form "Yes, you are right. Come with me."  
  
* * *  
  
Helena sat at in the dining room with her legs over the chair. She watched the two women work at the lab while she played with a piece of her sandwich. She didn't know if she felt happy or angry, she just felt like she needed a good fight. Either to validate her bad mood or maybe to enhance it. She wasn't quite sure. Alfred looked at her with curiosity while he flipped through a recipe book.  
  
"I thought you were hungry Miss Helena," he said.  
  
"Yea, me too." The brunette answered distractedly.  
  
"Something bothering you?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Another discussion with Miss Barbara?"  
  
"Not exactly; call it an 'exchange of opinions',"  
  
"And I can imagine she put you up against the wall in that 'exchange of opinions'."  
  
Helena looked him "Were you listening?"  
  
"No." Alfred smiled "But when you two have an argument, she tends to put you up against a wall."  
  
"You know what you guy's problem is?" Helena grumbled.  
  
"No."  
  
"You think that you know me so well."  
  
"It's not that Miss Helena. Not that at all. It's just that you are often predictable."  
  
"I'm not predictable." Helena frowned.  
  
"May I try?" Alfred asked.  
  
"Forget it. Today is not my day; I'm sure I will lose." she took her plate and stood up walking towards the balcony. Alfred smiled.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
  
  
Helena couldn't deny she felt a great relief inside her knowing she hadn't killed that man. It seemed that many years of listening to Barbara saying "We don't kill" was affecting her and she hated that, it made her feet weak and vulnerable.  
  
"Are you okay?" Barbara asked behind her, she didn't hear her mentor wheel outside.  
  
"Yes. What did you find?" She bit her sandwich  
  
"I finished the analysis on the chip. But I couldn't find out too much; it's burned up pretty bad."  
  
"Do you think someone is controlling people's minds?"  
  
"I need one of those chips undamaged. Reese called. The chips in the heads of the other men disappeared."  
  
"What?" Helena was disconcerted.  
  
"The person who is doing this does not want them to be examined. It looks like maybe he can control the molecular structure of the chip from a long distance. He just...well he just dissolved it."  
  
"That man must be mad to play with people's minds this way."  
  
"Yes, he must be." Barbara paused before asking "Were you scared?"  
  
"Scared?" Helena looked her.  
  
"You know about what I'm talking about."  
  
"Are you pushing me again?"  
  
"Im just asking." Barbara said in soft voice.  
  
Helena looked away. "I don't know."  
  
"You seemed like it."  
  
"I don't know if I was scared or angry. You and Dinah were getting so angry at me. I felt like I was being shoved up against the wall. I saved her life. That should count for something." Helena lowered her head.  
  
"It does and we weren't trying to trap you against a wall. You alone felt trapped. Helena, we've talked about this."  
  
"About killing people?" the brunette sighed.  
  
"Yes, and about controling your anger. You don't think sometimes. You went up against that man who was pointing a gun at you. You could be dead now!" Barbara said almost frustrated.  
  
"I didn't kill him."  
  
"But you could have, and you know that. You are a lethal weapon. I saw the picture of the man, you saw it."  
  
"I know! And I couldn't sleep all the damn night!" Helena almost shouted. She kept silent a few seconds and looked Barbara, "Tell me that you never beat a criminal as I beat that man. Tell me that you never did it. Tell me that you never wanted to kill."  
  
Barbara was caught off guard. Both women stared at each other for several long seconds. No one blinked, no muscles moved; it was almost like a challenge; like a power play. Finally Barbara showed emotion. Helena could do that to her. The protege could always push the mentor to the edge.  
  
"Helena, I did kill someone. You know that," Barbara exclaimed. "It's not something I'm proud of. Do you think that I don't know that my hands are red because of Sandy? She was an innocent girl. I will always carry that around with me. I don't want you to carry that burden."  
  
"Sorry," Helena snorted. "But that 'innocent' was a thief. And he was trying to kill Dinah. I don't think I would have spent much time crying for him."  
  
"Helena, if someone forced him to do things that he didn't want to then he is an innocent. If we find a complete chip and I could prove that some one was controlling his mind, that vindicates him.. He is innocent." She paused for a moment. "Look, I'm sure that you felt guilty for a moment; you felt the heavy weight that falls over your shoulders when you have the life of a person in your hands. It isn't a pleasant feeling. And I'm sure you didn't like yourself too terribly much at that moment either."  
  
"Fine, I hated who I was. Are you happy now?" Helena said standing up. "But I can't be nice with bad guys in the middle of a fight! I was a tad bit busy trying to save my ass. And Dinah's in case you failed to notice." "Why don't you ever weigh the risks of a fight before you jump in head first?"  
  
".Adrenaline?".  
  
Barbara rolled her eyes. "And your excess of force?"  
  
"Well, it's all part of the job." Helena said.  
  
"Okay, I buy that. But Helena, you must learn to be careful with that part of the job. You know the drill about with great responsibility...'"  
  
Helena waved her off. "When I'm fighting it's hard to focus on don't hurt the bad guys who are trying to kill me. Kind of a distraction."  
  
The Delphi's system alarm interrupted them., Barbara wheeled inside and Helena followed her. Dinah was already in front of the computers when they arrived.  
  
"What's going on?" the red head asked.  
  
"Robbery, another computer factory. Near the dockyards." Dinah explained.  
  
"Go" Barbara typed fast on the keyboard.  
  
"Barbara I need tell you something." Dinah said suddenly.  
  
"Can't it wait?" Helena asked, impatience in her tone.  
  
"I lost one of my earrings."  
  
"What?" Barbara asked, spinning around to face Dinah.  
  
"Must have been lost yesterday during the fight. I thought this morning that maybe it was on my bed and I looked everywhere but it wasn't there." "Fine. Try to trace back your steps. It's probably where you two were yesterday. Okay?"  
  
Both girls nodded and ran outside the building.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Oracle guided them to where the robbery took place. Huntress and Dinah arrived but the place was empty. Dinah walked around and Huntress checked the rooftops unsucessfuly.  
  
"Are you sure the signal came from here?" Huntress asked as she walked towards Dinah. "This place is empty"  
  
::Yes... The police got the same signal. You two had better get out of there.::  
  
"Copy that Oracle. Okay, Dinah." Helena said, putting a hand on her friends' shoulder "Why we don't go to look for your earring?"   
  
* * *  
  
"Nice, nice" the man smiled. He was working in front of his big computer equipment, He had been listening to the conversation between the women.. "I love the technology.!" He looked his henchmen. "Move faster, we have work to do."   
  
* * *  
  
Dinah walked inside the big warehouse with a flashlight. The place was still closed in with police tape; that was a good sign, no one had been there since the robbery. Huntress was looking outside. It was still was raining. She wondered idly what was it about cats and rain. They seemed to enjoy being outside in the worst that Mother Nature had to offer.  
  
::Nothing?:: Oracle asked.  
  
"No Oracle, Im in the place where that man held me but... I can't find it." Dinah said. She kneeled on the floor trying to find the small object. Suddenly she felt a hard blow on her head and growled. She fell to the floor.  
  
Huntress eyes changed; she listened the growl of the blond girl on her com. "Dinah? Are yo okay?" she asked.  
  
::What was that?:: Oracle asked.  
  
"She must be in trouble." Huntress said and jumped to a high window of the warehouse. She looked down, was dark inside but she could saw Dinah lying on the floor "She is on the ground."  
  
::Hurted?:: Oracle asked worry tinting her tone.  
  
"I don't know. I can't see any one but I know some one is here." Huntress could smell the danger; the adrenaline started to rip through her. She opened the window slowly. The place seemed be empty. She jumped down and cautiously went to her friend. She kneeled and took her neck. "She is breathing normally but she's unconscious Oracle." Huntress whispered looking around. "I don't like this. Something's not right." ::Is she hurt?::  
  
"Doesn't look like..." Huntress snapped her hear up, her senses buzzing wildly. She stood up taking Dinah by her armpits. At the last moment she heard a strange noise and she lifted her head towards it, She saw a net falling towards her so she rolled with Dinah to avoid it. She moved fast and hid behind some boxes while a wash of bullets rushed past her. She put her back against a box hugging Dinah.  
  
Oracle almost jumped on her chair when she recognized the sound of gunfire. ::Huntress talk to me.::  
  
"It's a trap Oracle." She said with loud voice; the sound of the weapons were loud. She looked up trying to figure how escape.  
  
::I'll call Reese.::  
  
"This place is dark, I'll try jump to the ceiling and maybe I'll surprise them."  
  
::How many men are there?::  
  
"I don't know." Helena began to climb up the boxes up and jumped to the ceiling. There was a kind of metallic corridor and she kneeled looking down. She raised her head, a man stood on the other end of the corridor pointing a gun at her. She rolled before he could hit her and fell over the boxes that she had climbed a few seconds ago; immediately a rain of bullets began to hit nearby her. She bounced and fell to the floor next to Dinah. "Didn't work." She said to Oracle putting her back against the boxes again.  
  
::To your left there is a trap door. It will take you to the river. It's a wet solution but it will get you out of there.::  
  
Huntress began to drag herself to her left and a tear gas exploded next to her. "Shit!" she grumbled and moved back. She went to Dinah and another tear gas canister exploded there. "Tear gas Oracle!" She coughed.  
  
::Improvise an exit!::  
  
Huntress looked around, her eyes were burning. She hit her shoulder against the metallic wall breaking it. Looking down she could see the river. She took Dinah by her waist and jumped down. The men tried to follow her but she disappeared under water. They continued firing their guns into the water. Huntress emerged from the cold water down the building coughing; she held Dinah with her arm around her throat and cleared her eyes with her free hand.  
  
::Huntress are you okay?:: she heard Oracle's voice. ::Huntress::  
  
"Yeah, I'm here, but I can't see a damn thing. I hate tear gas!"  
  
::Where are you?::  
  
"I jumped to the river. I'm freezing here."  
  
::How is Dinah?::  
  
"Still knocked out. The bad guys are up there." Huntres could see a kind of border and swam to it. When she touched the wooden cornice, she dragged Dinah over it. Resting an arm on the wood cornice; she washed her eyes with the water, she felt the gas burning her lungs and eyes, and coughed. She heard the click of the safety pin disengaging off a gun.  
  
"Don't move or you and your friend will be fish food." A man's voice said. They were on a stair way a few meters from her. Huntress growled. Dinah began to recover consciousness. "Good, take your friend and swim here slowly." The man said.  
  
"Where am I?" the blond girl whispered while Huntress pulled her into the cold water again. She put and arm around her neck "Just hold your breath." Helena said in a low voice.  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Hold your breath and don't move." Huntress said again. Suddenly, she dived with Dinah under the cornice. She swam under the basement and heard shots. She touched a rock. There was no exit.  
  
Huntress looked upside the floor of wood, all was completely dark and Dinah couldn't see anything. Huntress took her hands and put it around her waist. Dinah understood and held her; she didn't know what she was planning to do but she trusted in her. The brunette put a hand over the floor and began to hit it hard but the wood was thick.  
  
Finally she broke through and using her hands, she began to pull it apart making the hole bigger. She felt Dinah releasing her and she caught her hand, she needed air. Huntress pushed her upper body to the hole and she followed her. Huntress opened her mouth and took a deep breath. She had almost drowned there. She rested one arm on the floor and held Dinah with the other one. Both coughed.  
  
::Huntress answer me:: she heard Oracle's voice and the police cars outside of the building.  
  
"We are fine." Huntress said almost in a whisper.  
  
::What happened?::  
  
"Let me breath..." she coughed again.  
  
"Thanks Huntress..." Dinah said looking her.  
  
"Pleasure..."  
  
Dinah climbed out of the hole and helped Huntress out. "We need a cup of coffee." The blond girl shivered rubbing her arms.  
  
Huntress stood up trembling too. "Good idea, but I need first know who are those men. Wait here."  
  
Huntress went to a upper window and looked up. The men were runing toward a car. She opened and ran toward them but they had gone before she could do something. She was shivering because of the cold and rubbed her hands. Who ever was they were waiting for hers and that didn't like her. 


	4. Oracle don't know everything

"Ouch!" Dinah growled she was lying on the lab stretcher.   
  
"It's just alcohol." Barbara said "Don't worry, the cut isn't big and deep. You won't need stitches, just a small path."   
  
Helena watched Barbara tending to Dinah while sitting on a table covered with a blanket. "It was a trap, I'm sure it was."   
  
"It was, we stopped robberies in three computer factories and I'm sure that the person that is behind this, is not happy." Barbara said. "Tonight you were lucky. I disabled the earring that Dinah lost but."  
  
"What do you think?" Dinah asked. "That they could find it?"  
  
"Would be a possibility. But I'm not sure." Barbara gave her some pills and wheeled toward Helena "Your hand." She asked.   
  
Helena extended it and Barbara examined her hurted knuckles. She had several bruises and cuts on her. She turned her hand put in it some pills. "Take them all, and don't say no. Don't move, I need clean with alcohol."   
  
Helena sighed. "Sometimes you treat me like a small child."  
  
"Maybe because you are one. " Barbara said taking some gauzes.  
  
"And very big." Dinah laughed walking to her room.  
  
"Hey, I heard you" Helena protested.  
  
"Dinah go take a bath;" Barbara said "You'll go after her, Helena."  
  
"But..."  
  
"You will get a cold if you go outside soaked as you are now. And as is for your clothes, don't worry; half of your wardrobe is here. Alfred picks it up every day. Look for clean clothes down in my closet."  
  
Helena glared at Dinah. "Don't open your mouth."  
  
Dinah couldn't avoid laughing loudly. Helena grumbled while Barbara began to clean her knuckles.  
  
"Hey easy, Do you know that this hurts?" the brunette said looking what was Barbara doing.  
  
"I know, but better this than and infection."  
  
* * *  
  
Next night Huntress and Dinah were at street. In an alley, Huntress had her back in the wall while Dinah watched the building at the end of the corner. Delphi's had received a robbery alarm from that place.  
  
"Nothing here Oracle." Dinah said. "We checked all the building inside and is empty."  
  
"Delphi's is not working well." Huntress mumbled.  
  
::Delphi's is working well:: Oracle protested. ::Wait... I have other robbery signal, five blocks from where you are.::  
  
"Let's go kid." Huntress said running by the street.  
  
"Oh, my...!" Dinah said running to the Hummer "I need skates!"  
  
When Huntress arrived to the place, she saw a van running high speed by the street.  
  
"Van, blue one, no windows, running by thirth street Oracle." She said "It seems they stole a computer store. Must be the same guys."  
  
::Wait for Dinah::  
  
"I can loose them, better she will follow me." She jumped to the next building. "Is most easy follow them between buildings."  
  
::Dinah can't jump as you between buildings.::  
  
"Well, a better reason to tell her follow me. Now they are at fifth."  
  
:: On my way:: she heard Dinah's voice.  
  
Huntress saw the van turn to her right. When she arrived to that corner she looked down the van parking on the sidewalk, and the doors opened. She looked around but she didnt see any person around.  
  
"The van is parking in frifth and madisson street. But seems as our bad guys gone." She jumped and fell in the sidewalk. She looked inside the drivers seat and was empty. She turned to see downstreet. Her sixth sense was turned on; her eyes as cat pupils. "Oracle, they dissapeared. But something.." She went to he back door and suddenly it opened and hit her harder sending her to the floor. Before she could react four men were over her; one of them kicked her in the stomach; on the floor she kicked one of them and hit another one. She rolled to avoid another blow and stood up as fast as she could.  
  
"Wanna play?" she asked and jumped over them.  
  
::Huntress what's happening?::  
  
"The guys were waiting for me." she blocked a blow and hit a guy in fron of her at the time that he kicked another one behind her.  
  
::A trap? Get out of there::  
  
"A little late. Could we talk later? Dinah where are you?"  
  
One of the men took off a knife and tried to stab her she grabbed his hand and threw him against other of his partners. Another held her arms by her back and she raised her legs to kick a man that tried to hit her. And hit her back against the wall to force the man release her.  
  
::Im two blocks or you hold on:: Dinah said.  
  
"I'm holding" she punched another of the men. One of them took off gun a began to shot to the gas tank of the van. Helena thought that was man was mad and ran to be far of the vehicle. The other men ran downstreet.  
  
"Dinah stop the car!" she shouted at the time that the van explodes and sent her fly toward the street. Dinah pressed the break and the vehicle was moved by the explosion, she saw Huntress flew in front of her.  
  
"Damn!" Dinah mumbled.  
  
::Huntress? Dinah? What was that noise?::  
  
"Wait, I saw a cat flying." The blond girl jumped out of the hummer and ran toward Huntress.  
  
The brunette was trying to stand up. Dinah kneeled next to her. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes, thanks." She looked back. The van was burning and the henchmen gone.  
  
::Dinah talk to me::  
  
"One of those nuts shot to his car an it explodes." Huntress explained.  
  
::Are you okay?::  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Want a ride?" Dinah helped her to stand up.  
  
"Please." Huntress gave her hand to Dinah.  
  
* * *  
  
The next days, Oracle received some alerts. The girls arrived to the places, but the thieves were in another location. She couldn't understand what was happening. They couldn't stop th robberies. One night after a long night of unsuccessful work, Huntress walked into the Clocktower in bad mood.  
  
"What is happening?" she yelled "Those guys are always one step ahead of us!"  
  
"I don't know, im working on that. They're eluding the police too. And they know that you two are behind them. They were waiting for you twice. That worry me."  
  
Dinah sat in a chair. "The gang is stealing computers parts and equip. They know what are they doing."  
  
"And what are they doing?" Helena asked.   
  
"I don't know." Dinah raised her shoulders. Helena sighed and turned to look at Barbara.  
  
"Don't look at me Im still trying to discover what is happening." Barbara said.  
  
"Okay, we are in the middle of nothing. What we do in the meantime?" Helena sighed.  
  
"We need to find a trace, something that tell us who is behind all of this."  
  
"What if when we receive an alarm signal on the south of the city we're in the north?" the brunette asked "The last three days we had been many miles away from the real robbery!" Barbara and Dinah looked each other and later looked at her surprised. Helena raised her brow.  
  
"You have a better idea?" she asked.  
  
"No, it's brilliant..." Barbara muttered. "In some way they know where are we going to go; or they are guiding us to the wrong place to give themselves an opportunity to work. "  
  
"Yea?" Helena was surprised with her own idea.  
  
"Dinah I need a map with any kind of stores, companies and factories that sell or produce computer equipment." The red head ordered.  
  
The birds could stop he next two robberies that next week. But Oracle still couldn't find a trace that lead her to the brain of the team.  
  
The man that was behind it felt upset; in some way oracle had stopped him. At his place, he crashed his keyboard against the floor. His men looked him afraid. The small men walked in cricles around the room thinking what to do.  
  
"What we do boss now?" one of them asked "They surprised us! That brunette is a demon. She is damn fast! And the other one, she make us fly before we can touch her."  
  
"I need her!" he shouted.  
  
"What? She is a wild cat!"  
  
"I need the brain of the team to stop hers. A woman is guiding hers. The only way to stop those girls is stop the woman that they call Oracle. She seems know everything. If I get her I could get access to her equipment and to the other girls."  
  
"And how are you going to do that?"  
  
"The signal of transmissions comes from the building that had the Clock Tower of New Gottham. Wayne's Corporation offices are there. I did my investigations. The daughter of Commisioner Gordon had an apartment there. At top floor."  
  
"But as I know she was a disabled person." A woman next to her told him.  
  
"The brain is in the head my dear; not in your feet. I need her anyway to talk with her. We need find who is that Oracle."  
  
* * *  
  
The henchmen of that mysterious man were outside Clock Tower. Dinah and Barbara exited the building very early, almost at 6:30 am. They followed her to High School and stood up at the distance under a tree. They recognized Dinah, was the first one to step out. She went t the back part of the vehicle and took off the wheelchair. They were shocked when they saw her go out of the Hummer.  
  
"Boss" one of them took his mobile phone "This is nuts. The damn blonde that kicked us last week is with her. the other one is a red head and a disabled person."  
  
"That doesn't matter, follow her!."  
  
* * *  
  
"Dinah, can we lunch together?" Barbara asked the blond girl putting her books on her lap.  
  
"Yes." Dinah said putting her school bag at her back.  
  
"We can see us after my class at 1 o'clock."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I have an appointment with my lawyer at 10, but I'll back, okay?"  
  
Barbara was trying to solve unsuccessfully the puzzle; after her classes she were at her classroom thinking an idea. Before 10 Am she wheeled outside High School to go to her appointment with her lawyer. She opened the door of the Hummer and a woman stood up next to her.  
  
"Barbara Gordon?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, that's me." Barbara looked her.  
  
"I need your help, I need to talk with you." The woman said nervous.  
  
"Me?"  
  
"You are the daughter of Commisioner Gordon. I thought that maybe you would help me."  
  
"Well, if you explain to me..."  
  
"Not here, it's dangerous. Anyone could see us." The woman looked around "Could we go to another place?"  
  
"I'm a little busy now, I have an appointment and."  
  
"Please, I can explain while you drive; is really important."  
  
"But."  
  
"Have you heard about the robberies at the computers factories?" the woman asked her. "I have information."  
  
Barbara thought was an important trace. She nodded and made a sign to the woman and she walked to the passenger seat. She drove out school and took the main street.  
  
"What is happening?" Barbara asked.  
  
"I'm afraid to go to the police. And that man's henchmen follow me." The woman looked nervously to her back.  
  
Barbara looked surprised that woman. "Who will follow you?"  
  
"The man that is doing this. Turn to your right."  
  
"Who is?." Barbara looked her and did as she told her. "Why is following you?".  
  
"Because we are looking for you." The woman took out a gun from her bag and pointed it at Barbara. "Keep your hands on the steering wheel and your eyes to the front or I'll shoot you. Drive to the dockyards and don't try anything."  
  
Barbara saw two cars that had been parked on the side of the street began to follow her.  
  
"See that cars behind you? My friends are following us. Don't do anything stupid. My orders are to take you alive but I will not hesitate if I need to kill you, okay?" the woman said.  
  
Barbara followed her instructions and nodded. She was in a big trouble now and the transmitter she used to send emergency signals to Helena was in her wheelchair.   
  
* * * 


	5. Betrayal has a name

The Hummer arrived on a quiet isolated street in the middle of New Gotham. Barbara parked it inside a storage house. A man took Barbara to an empty room. They sat her on a chair and tied her hands to the arms of it.  
  
Barbara tried to move but her arms where bound tightly. A man entered the room but she couldn't see him. He was behind her. She felt the cold steel of a gun press against her neck so decided it was best to keep still.  
  
"You're being very good Ms. Gordon," he said moving a lock of hair away from her back, over her shoulder and putting his mouth near her ear. His breath smelled awful.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked without moving. She strained to hear his voice, trying to recognize it.  
  
"I'm the only one here who asks the questions."  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I don't think you heard me." He pressed the gun against her neck "Only I ask the questions. You are the famous Oracle. I never thought you'd be Oracle, a disabled teacher."  
  
Barbara didn't respond.  
  
"Do you know how many people would pay good money for you?" the man asked.  
  
"I think you're making a big mistake here." Barbara didn't know how he knew who she was.  
  
"I know who you are, it's not necessary to lie to me. The master of the computers, the amazing Oracle. I've heard many things about your incredible abilities in the cybernetic world. Maybe I should help you remember." He took Dinah's earring out of his pocket and held it up in front of her "Do you recognize this?"  
  
Barbara froze "...It's just an earring."  
  
"You know that is not true." He took her by the hair and pulled her head back pressing the gun on her neck "It's a special device that you use to guide the annoying Huntress and her blond friend."  
  
Barbara could now see his face properly and recognized him as the Mad Hatter. He was a man of average height with green hat and a long dress coat. Her memory of him was that he had always been a disgusting man. She looked hard at him; he was still foul. Now he was older, fatter and his messy and long hair was white. The last time that she had seen him was more than nine years earlier.  
  
"Let me introduce you to my team;" Mad Hatter said. "You know Polly, my hat check girl, in charge of keeping tabs on my hats. And my henchmen Benley, Skimmer, Cappy and Dicer." He smiled and walked in front of her with a strange gun in his hand. "And judging by your look, you know who I am."  
  
"Mad Hatter, my father showed me all your files." She said.  
  
"And you keep all the info in. Delphi's is the name of your system?"  
  
Barbara was stunned and swallowed.  
  
"I intercepted your frequency and I could hear all of your conversations. You changed the frequency but you really weren't all that hard to find again. Maybe you've forgotten but I know my way around the cybernetic realm a bit as well. I know that you are Oracle, I recognize your voice now. I will kill you and your damn girls but it will not be easy unless you and they help me, I want to know about your wonderful Clock Tower, it sounds like a marvelous place."  
  
"You're wrong.."  
  
One of the men turned on a tape recorder and Barbara could hear her voice while she talked with Huntress.  
  
::Huntress are you okay? Huntress::   
  
::Yeah, I'm here, but I can't see a damn thing. I hate tear gas!::   
  
::Where are you?::   
  
::I jumped to the river. I'm freezing here.::   
  
::How is Dinah?::   
  
Barbara felt her heart beating faster. The man stopped the recorder.   
  
"Now do you want to talk Oracle?" Mad Hatter asked as he smiled. "I would never have guessed that a person like you could be one of the best crime fighters in New Gotham. Don't you get it? The reason you couldn't trap me over the last few days is because I've been ahead of you every step of the way. I heard exactly where and how you were moving. I tried to trap that damn Huntress but she is fast and agile. Who is she?"  
  
Barbara kept silent. Things were already bad enough.   
  
"Come on Barbara Gordon, play nice. I need you to help me out. I want you to fit Huntress with this." He held up a small computer chip. "Do you know what this is?"  
  
Barbara shook her head as he walked in front of her.  
  
"Well, it's the device that you have been looking for. I can control minds with this device, I developed a nano technology for my mind-controlling mechanisms. It's wonderful microscopic plaything really. I just need to put this in the back of a person's head. Maybe you'd like to know where I'm going with this, eh? Okay then, since you asked so nicely. I'm going to install one of these in your head and guess what? You are going to help me to put this in your friends."  
  
One of the men of Mad hatter wrenched Barbara's head backwards. Holding her in place he snapped a collar around her throat. "Are you insane?" she shouted struggling "This is a mistake!"  
  
"You will be more friendly once I have installed the device." He smiled walking behind her. In the back of the collar there was a small hole; he raised a gun and the barrel fit perfectly in it. Barbara felt the gun press against her neck and two of the henchmen held her head to keep her from struggling.  
  
"You are wrong! Please, listen to me!" Barbara cried out, a feeling of utter helplessness washing over her. She could tell that trying to escape would likely be in vain.   
  
"Too late baby." He smiled and fired the gun.   
  
* * *  
  
"Sixty five, sixty six, sixty..." Helena was at the Dark Horse bar helping Leonard with the yearly inventory. She was currently counting glasses when Dinah's voice came over the comm set.  
  
::Helena have you talked with Barbara today?:: Dinah asked.  
  
"No, why? Sixty eight, sixty nine." The brunette continued counting the glasses.  
  
::I thought she might have called you.::  
  
"Seventy. No she never called me. Seventy one, seventy two..."  
  
::We were supposed to meet and go to lunch::  
  
"Seventy three... Sometimes that happens with Barbara. She gets so engrossed in what she is doing that she forgets what time it is. Seventy four, seventy five..."  
  
::But she also had an appointment with her lawyer::  
  
"Sixty five, sixty... Damn it Dinah! you made me lose count," Helena growled and slapped the palm of her hand against her forehead. She put her hand on the bar table "Dinah this had better be serious. What is the problem?"  
  
::She never arrived for her appointment with her lawyer at 10 o'clock:: Dinah said.  
  
"Well maybe she had to be somewhere else." Helena began to recount the glasses.  
  
::She never made it to her one o'clock class.::  
  
"One, two... " Helena stopped counting to say, "That sounds bad."  
  
::I've been trying to contact her using the comm but she won't answer me. Do you think something has happened to her?::  
  
"Anyone see her at school?"  
  
::Yes, Gaby said that she was talking with a woman and then they both climbed into the Hummer and took off around 10 o'clock.::  
  
"Where did she go?"  
  
::I don't know.::  
  
"Where are you?"  
  
::At school. I called Alfred and he told me she hasn't contacted him.::  
  
Helena stood up to get her coat. Leonard stepped in front of her, barring her way. "Going somewhere Kyle?" he asked.  
  
"I just need go out for a few minutes." Helena said.  
  
"You promised to actually stick around today. You know, so we could actually get the inventory done."  
  
::I'm here. What is the problem?:: Helena heard Barbara's voice echoing over the comm.  
  
"Forget it. Just let me go to the ladies room." Helena went in a hurry to the ladies room. She entered and closed the door. "What the hell is happening?" she asked.  
  
::I don't know. Alfred told me that Dinah was looking for me. I'm here::  
  
::Where are you?:: Dinah asked.  
  
::At the Clock Tower. Where else?:: Barbara said annoyed.  
  
"Oh damn! What have you been doing there?" Helena was pissed.  
  
::Working::  
  
::You never arrived for your appointment and your class.:: Dinah said ::I called you.::  
  
:: Dinah I was busy working with this case.::  
  
"Are you okay?" Helena asked.  
  
::Yes, why?:: the red head grumbled.  
  
"Dinah, are you okay?"  
  
::Yea. why?:: the blond answered  
  
"Barbara is okay, Dinah is okay, Alfred sure is okay, I'm okay; Every damn body is okay. Now, lets get back to work. See you later, I got glasses to count," Helena said and turned off her mic.  
  
* * *  
  
After she finished her work, Helena went to Clock Tower. She wanted to make sure that Barbara was actually okay. It wasn't like Barbara to just disappear for several hours so maybe she'd actually found something. Like a break in the case.  
  
"Hey Barbara." Helena walked in with a lollipop in her mouth. The redhead was at Delphi typing on the keyboard.  
  
"Hi Helena. How was your day?" she greeted her.  
  
"Boring, you know, inventory." Helena sat on the desk next to her. "Where were you this afternoon?."  
  
"I was right here the entire time working nonstop on our case." Barbara pretended to be distracted.  
  
"You worried Dinah."  
  
"I was working." Barbara answered finishing her typing on the keyboard. "I know how to take care of myself. I am over thirty you know. And I can do it a lot better than you two. I'm going to have to have a serious talk with Dinah."  
  
"It's your fault." Helena pointed out.  
  
"My fault?" Barbara faked a laugh.  
  
Helena cocked her head "We can tell time by you. You always follow the rules and are never late for classes. Gaby saw you talking with some woman and then you disappeared. What's up with you? It's not like you to be so pissy at Dinah."  
  
"Yes, that's true." She turned to look at the brunette "Well I'm glad that you came back early. I need to run some tests on you."  
  
"What tests? Why? I came here to eat not be a lab rat. It's four o'clock."  
  
"Just a routine test."  
  
"I'm feeling fine." Helena was surprised by the redhead's sudden concern.  
  
"I know that you feel okay, but you know that I like to monitor you condition every so often." Barbara raised her brow, looked her and smiled. "Humor me?"  
  
She knew full well that Helena would back down. When it came to the medical side of things, the younger woman knew she was out of her comfort zone. "After that we can go out to eat. Remember that Alfred is at Wayne Manor on Mondays; Im not good coking and you are worst than me."  
  
"I can't survive that long. I'm hungry now. Why don't we eat first, then we can do the tests." Helena's sense buzzed  
  
"No."  
  
Helena looked around nervous.  
  
"What's wrong?" Barbara asked noticed her nervousness.  
  
"I dunno, I feel something..."  
  
"Okay, I get it. Another one of your tricks to avoid having me check you out." Barbara said sighing.  
  
"No Barbara, something..."  
  
"Helena I don't have time of anymore excuses. Let's go." Barbara knew that Helena would discover her duplicity soon enough. She needed move faster  
  
Helena rolled her eyes. She felt sometimes it was best just to follow Barbara orders. She went over to the stretcher and laid down. 


	6. A hunter hunted

Barbara attached some cables to Helena's chest and then turned on the monitors. Helena fixed her eyes on the ceiling. These test were boring; maybe was the most boring part of the job; she preferred be hanging of a building two hours in the middle of a rain than thirty minutes there.  
  
"Okay, this won't take long," the redhead said while she examined Helena's eyes with a light. She looked her Heart rhytm on the monitor, it was disturbed. "Hey calm down, what happen?"  
  
"I don't know." Helena said "I told you I feel something."  
  
"Breath deep. Is just a test." Barbara smiled. "This is not the first time."  
  
"Yea, I know. What did you find today?" Helena asked crossing her fingers.  
  
"Something really interesting, I'll show it to you in a minute." Barbara wheeled toward the monitors and the tray that sat next to it. "How was your day?" she asked as she began to prepare a very strong drug to would her awake but leave her defenseless as a kitten at the same time. This would give her time to install the device without any complications.  
  
"I was working all morning. Leonard had us taking inventory of all the wines, liquor and glasses. We started working at eight AM. The good news is that I have my night is free."  
  
"That is good." Barbara said finishing mixing some chemicals.  
  
"What is that?" Helena asked.  
  
"Vitamins." Barbara began to fill a syringe.  
  
"Vitamins?" Helena frowned.  
  
"The level of your red corpuscles is a bit low." Barbara explained wheeling up to her. "Roll up your sleeve."  
  
"You never..."  
  
"Helena, we have a lot of work to do, come on."  
  
"Okay." Helena extended her arm and rolled up her sleeve.  
  
Barbara took her arm and injected her in the vein. That had been too easy. "You will feel a little dazed so don't try standing up," she said taking out the syringe and swiping a cotton swab with alcohol over the wound. "Keep your arm up." Barbara put the syringe on a tray and moved toward the cabinet.  
  
"Do you have an idea about who it could be?" Helena asked rolling down her sleeve.  
  
"Well, I had been investigating." Barbara took out a box. "The criminal seems to know very well just what he was doing."  
  
"We need find a device that give us a trail to follow?" the brunette stared at the ceiling feeling dumb.  
  
"Well yes, it's a high tech device and very uncommon." Barbara put the box on the table "The person that built it is a genius."  
  
Helena blinked. "Only an evil person would come up with a brain implant that can be used to control someone."  
  
"He must have very good medical knowledge about human body and the function of the brain. It's a strong possibility our mastermind would be a doctor." Barbara watched Helena, noticing that the drug was taking affect.  
  
"Maybe a frustrated scientist."  
  
"Could be, look at this." Barbara showed her an odd looking gun.  
  
"What is that?" Helena shook her head. She felt her mind burring.  
  
"The friend that I went to see this morning gave me this. It's a kind of dart gun, it's uses air to shoot. The person who is behind this uses this to install the device in the brain of the people he wants to control. You place it on the back of the neck of the intended victim and pull the trigger. The device is installed immediately." Barbara smiled because Helena was beginning to look dazed.  
  
"Who... is your friend?" Helena began to have problems speaking. She realized that, wasn't normal "Barbara som. something is wrong."  
  
"My friend works at the Police station." Barbara continued working with out listen her. She just needed wait a few more seconds, that drugs was fast.  
  
"Barbara... What did you give me?" Helena tried to stand up. Barbara looked her and wheeled to her to push her down.  
  
"Hey, easy." She said "Where are you going?"  
  
Helena felt her mind fuzzy. "This is... I don't feel so good."  
  
"I told you will feel a little dumb." Barbara explained with calm voice.  
  
"What kind of vitamins are they?" Helena closed her eyes feeling her senses going numb. "Barbara that... that wasn't vitamins."  
  
"Don't worry, you will feel okay in a few minutes." Barbara put the pistol on the table and took an iron collar out of the box. "Roll over onto your stomach please."  
  
The kid automatically obeyed. "Barbara... I'm feel worse...."  
  
Barbara wheeled toward her with the collar in her hand. "Just one last test."  
  
"What..?" Helena mumbled.  
  
Barbara stopped at her side. "How do you feel now?" Helena didn't notice that Barbara had the pistol and the collar on her lap.  
  
"What... did you give me?... That wasn't vitamins..."  
  
"I needed to give you a strong drug to help you to recover faster."  
  
"Recover. what is wrong?"  
  
"Relax Helena, everything is okay. Don't move." Barbara took the collar and put it around her neck.  
  
"What... are you doing?" Helena asked shivering at the touch of the cold metal around her neck and moved back. She tried to focus Barbara. But was impossible.  
  
"Helena, Just relax. I'm going to check your neural responses." Barbara said with soft voice trying to tranquilize her "You are too nervous.  
  
"I."  
  
"Helena, what happen with you? Let me finish this and we could go to eat." Barbara said pushing her back slowly. "Lie down. That is."  
  
Helena rested her face down the stretcher and closed her eyes. Barbara caressed her hair. "You are so tense. Just relax" She said softly and putting the collar around her neck, she close it. Barbara smiled as Helena did as she was told. Her unfailing trust in her had blinded her. "This device send your brain signals to my computer." She lied.  
  
Helena felt her mind cloud over; she tried to think clearly. Barbara took up the pistol and smiled. Helena was one of those stupid people that trust in people without thinking. She put the muzzle of the gun the hole in the collar.  
  
"I almost finish. It will all be over in a moment." Barbara whispered.  
  
Helena looked out of the corner of her eye and saw the gun "Barbara!" she shouted and swatted her hand. She rolled herself off the stretcher and onto the floor.  
  
"Helena, Come here!" Barbara yelled.  
  
"What... happened to you?" Helena lied backwards and tried to take off the collar moving dumb. "What is this?"  
  
Barbara wheeled over to her. "Helena get back on the stretcher."  
  
"What are.... you trying to do... to me?" Helena rolled over onto her stomach and tried to drag herself away but she couldn't get her arms and legs to cooperate. She was totally baffled by Barbara's odd behavior.  
  
"Keeping you quiet." Barbara threw herself on top of her and pinned her arms behind her. Helena in her weakened state put up very little resistance.  
  
"Why do you always have to do things the hard way? I just wanted to plant the device in you. It's fast and won't hurt you." Barbara said angry.  
  
"Device?" Helena mumbled trying unsuccessfully to free herself. "What are... you talking about?"  
  
Barbara turned on her mic, "Mad Hatter I have her under control. The tower is secured."  
  
"Barbara!" Helena struggled weakly in desperation to free herself. Something had happened to her mentor. The redhead had all of her weight on her. She restrained her hands behind her back with one hand and picked up the pistol with the other one.  
  
"Mad Hatter will be here soon with his henchmen. We are going to use Clock Tower as our base of operation to take control the city. Now you will help me to trap Dinah. I just need install this device in your head," Barbara said to her as she raised the gun.  
  
"Dinah?" Helena felt a chill in her back. "You can't."  
  
"I can. It will be as easy as was to trap you." The redhead put the muzzle of the gun in the hole of the collar. "This won't hurt."  
  
With a deal of great effort Helena hit Barbara's arm with her elbow. The gun flew out of her hand crashing against the wall. It misfired as it fell broken to the floor.  
  
"Don't be stupid Helena!" Barbara shouted pressing her face against the floor by the neck. She didn't have another device so now she was forced to wait until Mad Hatter arrived at Clock Tower to get another one.  
  
"Barbara... wake up..." Helena whispered.  
  
"What are you doing?" Dinah shouted, frightened by the sight of seeing Helena lying on the floor with Barbara on top of her. The redhead turned when she heard Dinah's voice call out from the elevator. The blonde ran toward her.  
  
As Dinah rushed over, Barbara shouted, "She is out control. The Mad Hatter implanted a device in her."  
  
"What?" Dinah kneeled and helped her to hold her on the floor.  
  
"Dinah..." Helena mumbled. It was too dangerous for Dinah to stay. She had to get her safely away before the Mad Hatter arrived. She tried to move but Dinah kept her lying down. "Dinah. please."  
  
Dinah looked around finally noticing the med lab was a mess as she helped to restrain Helena.  
  
"Help me to take her to the cell." Barbara explained using her hands to climb up into her chair.  
  
"To the cell?"  
  
"No." Helena released her arm from Dinah's held. She knew what place was that one. "Not there."  
  
The blond hugged her strongly. "Easy Helena.." Dinah looked at Barbara strangely. The cell was a special room designed by Barbara to contain strong people. She had used Helena to test the strength the chains and bars. Now she will see how well it will work.  
  
Barbara saw the confusion on Dinah's face. She took her hand. "Dinah, she attacked me. You know that by herself she is a lethal weapon. The only way I was able to stop her was by drugging her. The Mad Hatter ordered her to kill us. I need to keep her and us safe until I find out how to remove the device."  
  
"She...is lying" Helena whispered, unsuccessfully trying to stand up with Dinah on her back.  
  
"Trust me Dinah," Barbara said with sorrow ringing in her voice. Help me and I'll explain everything to you. We need to help her. Please."  
  
Dinah nodded, she kneeled down next to Helena "I'm sorry Hel".  
  
"Dinah" Barbara said, "She going to try to lie to you, don't listen."  
  
Dinah nodded. She took Helena by her armpits and began to drag her toward the cell.  
  
"She's the one lying," Helena mumbled. "Run Dinah... he is coming..."  
  
"Everything will be okay. Don't worry Huntress" Dinah said dragging with her to the cell. Helena tried to move but now her arms and legs were dumb. Dinah opened the electric cell and leaned Helena against the wall.  
  
"...She wants you too...." Helena mumbled while Dinah moved her hands back and chained her. She put another chain between her ankles. The brunette tried to fight but she was still overwhelmed by the drug. Dinah had no trouble handling her.  
  
"You will be okay." Dinah said worriedly.  
  
Helena felt helpless. Barbara had deadened all her senses with the drug. She knew she couldn't escape from there. Dinah finished chaining her. She looked at her with sadness and touched her face. "Trust in Barbara" she said in soft voice: "Ill back later." 


	7. Run Dinah run

"Dinah..." Helena opened her eyes "Touch me."  
  
The blond looked at her with confusion.  
  
"Just... touch my hand... please."  
  
Dinah stepped back "Barbara told me not to talk to you."  
  
"Damn." Helena fell to her side. Her entire body felt funny and strange, almost like she was falling into a dark shaft devoid of light. Dinah saw the odd iron collar around Helena's neck at that moment.  
  
"What is that?" she asked looking her friend. She hesitated for a moment before walking toward the Huntress and kneeling down beside her. She took a hold of Helena's wrist. Suddenly she was in her mind and was shocked by what she was seeing; Barbara drugging her. Dinah could feel the brunette's anguish as she had tried to escape from a clearly compromised Barbara. Also, there was something about the redhead trying to contact someone called the Mad Hatter.  
  
Helena was telling the truth.  
  
"Helena?" Dinah felt her heart beat faster "Helena?" she slapped her gently on the cheeks.  
  
"He is coming, " the brunette mumbled. "Shut down the elevators..."  
  
"Who is coming?"  
  
"He.wants Clock tower.... she called him..."  
  
Dinah didn't know what to say. She looked at Helena who had been strongly drugged. She took a hold of the manacle and tried to unlock it, but it had an electric code and she didn't know it.  
  
"Close the doors... he is coming..." Huntress mumbled almost sleepy.  
  
Dinah stepped into the corridor and started down towards Barbara. She stopped when she saw the elevator door open. Mad Hatter walked in with his henchmen. Barbara wheeled over to him. They talked as two old friends. Dinah stepped back and ran to the cell.  
  
"Too late, I think he is here!" Dinah said kneeling down next to Huntress and trying to open the chains, "He is a small man but he's got some big thugs." She began to randomly punch in numbers.  
  
"Go." Helena pulled her arm away.  
  
"I can't leave you here!"  
  
"I'll be okay... I promise kid," the brunette said to her.  
  
"Helena, I'll take you with me."  
  
"Alfred, look for him. He can hide you. Tell him everything; he knows Barbara, how she thinks, he is the only one that can help us."  
  
"I can't Go!"  
  
"Alfred knows how hide you. If she catches you ... we are lost."  
  
"But Helena."  
  
"Damn! Go!" Helena grumbled fighting against the drug to avoid fell sleep "Please! There is a door... hidden on the balcony... there is a ramp... it's like a slide and takes you six floors down. He is at Wayne's Manor."  
  
"I'll be back for you." Dinah felt helpless because she couldn't do anything for Helena at that moment. She ran toward the balcony and looked for the hidden door. She found it at the back of the Clock Tower and jumped inside. She plunged downward until she crashed into a group of trash bags.  
  
She stood up and ran as fast as she could to the stairs. She knew it would be dangerous to use the elevators. Barbara had control of all the security systems  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"She ran away!" Barbara said annoyed "I'm sure she talked with Huntress."  
  
"Why you didn't you prevent it?" Mad Hatter was angry.  
  
"I was distracted," Barbara said plainly.  
  
"Where is the Huntress? Why you didn't install one of the devices into her head?"  
  
"She damaged the gun. She hit my hand and it crashed against the floor. I have her locked up in a special cell."  
  
"Where is the pistol?"  
  
"I need to fix it. It was broken when it hit the floor." Oracle felt ashamed at letting down her new master.  
  
"Oracle," Mad Hatter shouted, "I don't like the mistakes. Let me see this 'Huntress'."  
  
Barbara wheeled toward the cell and he followed her.  
  
"How did you to trap her?" he asked.  
  
"Trust"  
  
"Trust?"  
  
"Helena trusts in only one person in this world: me" Barbara smiled "Her trust in me was her downfall. Barbara opened the door and Mad Hatter walked in and stood gazing at the semi-conscious girl lying on the floor.  
  
"What happened to her?" he took her chin and raised her head.  
  
"I drugged her," Barbara explained "She will be okay in less than a hour."  
  
"I don't want any more mistakes this time!"  
  
"Yes master." Oracle said.  
  
"Bastard..." Helena mumbled.  
  
"Oh, a spunky girl. Now that's good." He smiled. "Oracle, please fix that damn pistol, I want our dear Huntress to join us as soon as possible.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Dinah was able to escape from the building undetected. Now she had to find a way to get to Alfred. She stepped up to the curb figuring to catch a taxi. Precious minutes ticked by as she attempted unsuccessfully to wave one down. In desperation she jumped directly into the path of an oncoming cab.  
  
"TAXI!!!!" she screamed holding her arms up and in front of her. Her breath caught in her throat as the cab refused to slow. Dinah scrunched her eyes closed, waiting for the impact. There was the squeal of brakes and the smell of burning rubber tickled her nose. She cracked open one eye and exhaled slowly. The cab had stopped less than inch away from her. Dinah ran to the passenger door, jerked it opened, and hopped in.  
  
"Wayne Manor. On the double," she said to the startled cabdriver.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Fifteen minutes later Dinah was racing through the extensive gardens of Wayne Manor. She knew she would find Alfred tending the roses as he always did on Mondays.  
  
"Alfred!" Dinah cried, hoping that he was nearby.  
  
"Miss Dinah, what are you doing here?" Alfred asked surprise clearly written across his face.  
  
"Alfred, something terrible has happened," Dinah babbled clutching at his jacket. " The Mad Hatter somehow managed to implant a device in Barbara. She lied to me and made me believe that Helena was out of control. I helped her to chain her up. She drugged her and I didn't know what was happening and,.." she rambled on breathlessly.  
  
"Miss Dinah, calm down." He asked. "Breath."  
  
"I don't have time," Dinah took his arm. "They are after me because I know everything. I need to hide! We need to get out of here. She will look for us here!"  
  
"Who knows that we are here?"  
  
"Barbara! Mad Hatter is controlling her mind! She's got Helena! I couldn't help her!"  
  
"Come, let's go inside the house and explain everything to me." Alfred tried to calm the girl.  
  
* * *   
  
  
  
An hour later Huntress was sitting on the floor trying to think a way of a way to escape now that the drug Barbara had administered had worn off. Barbara had designed this room to hold the most dangerous of criminals. Helena was used as the guinea pig to test for any weaknesses in the system. Many tests later the cell was deemed to be escape proof.  
  
Helena knew it was useless to try to break the chains since they were composed of titanium but she gave it a try any way. Her hands were shackled behind her back and were attached to a short length of chain that anchored her to the wall. The cuffs were electronically controlled and could only be opened using the keypad outside the cell door.  
  
Now this Mad Hatter creep had Barbara under his influence. Helena knew that she had to escape before they were able to fix the gun. The good thing was that Dinah was safe. The bad thing that she was alone and had Mad Hatter, Oracle, and all of the Clocktower's amazing technology after her. Helena heard the door open. She saw Oracle wheeling in followed by Mad Hatter. She stood up to face them.  
  
"Well, well the infamous Huntress..." Mad Hatter drawled. "So you are the young lady that managed to escape from my last two traps?"  
  
"I prefer notorious but hey whatever. Hey how about you and I go fix this whole mess. Alone?." Helena grumbled and looked at Barbara hoping she would remember her.  
  
"It's not necessary Huntress, I know how strong you are, for that reason and that reason alone you are still alive. I need your specialized skills to control this city. Oracle is doing a good job helping me." He touched Oracle's shoulder. "You were a bad girl, you broke my gun. Did you know that they are very expensive?"  
  
"Son of bitch." Huntress pulled her at chains.  
  
"Hey, hey, calm down." Mad Hatter said. "As soon as I get ready the implanter and the device you will see my friendly side... But right now we need to know something. The plan called for you and your blonde friend to be working for me now; but you screwed all. The blonde ran away after talking to you, I'm sure of that. If not, why else would she run away right before I arrived?"  
  
"Where did Dinah go Huntress?" Oracle asked.  
  
"I don't know." She grumbled.  
  
"You don't know or you don't want me to know?" Oracle wheeled over to her. "She took off her necklace to avoid being located." She raised the necklace and the earrings that Dinah abandoned in her flight from the Clock tower. "You two were talking for almost 5 minutes. What did she tell you?"  
  
"I was drugged remember? You drugged me! I don't know." Huntress yelled to her.  
  
Oracle took out one of her escrima sticks striking Helena quickly across the thigh.  
  
"Damn! That hurts Oracle!" Huntress yelled jerking back in pain. "Wake up!"  
  
"I asked you something, answer me!" She said. "We can do this the easy way." She grinned almost wickedly. "Or we can do it the fun way."  
  
"Huntress" Mad Hatter said, "I know that your friend's mental powers are very dangerous. I don't want any problems with her. Tell us where she is and maybe we won't have to torture you."  
  
"You know what? I forgot. But guess what? If I did know, I would never tell you!" Helena hissed at him. She turned back to Barbara. "Oracle it's me! You can fight against that damn device!"  
  
"I'm asking you nicely. What did you tell Dinah?" Oracle asked again.  
  
"I didn't talk with her..."  
  
Oracle's hands became a blur of motion. She struck Helena in the stomach with the butt of one stick and used the other to nail the brunette in the skull. The girl who called herself Huntress fell to her knees in pain. Helena was really pissed but she couldn't hurt her mentor not while she was under the spell of Mad Hatter. "I'm not asking you Huntress!" the redhead shouted. "I want the answers. Now."  
  
"Don't. bother...I don't....I wouldn't..."  
  
Barbara slapped her with such force across her face that she saw stars and felt a trickle of blood escaping her nose. Oracle leaned over her and grabbed her throat with one of her hands. "Don't play with me Huntress," she growled. "I'd prefer not to hurt you but I will if you don't start talking."  
  
Huntress clenched her teeth against the pain. "I don't know."  
  
Oracle hit her hard in the ribs with her stick. "I'm warning you again, don't try to be smart. I know you, remember that." The red head pushed her back against the wall. "Want to see me angry? Is that what you want? I need find Dinah. Come on; let's do this the easy way. I want to know what you told Dinah."  
  
Huntress kept silent, lowering her head.  
  
Mad Hatter moved his hand and the two henchmen behind him moved toward her. One of them grabbed her painfully by the arms, pulling her to her feet. Before she could react she felt a hard blow to her stomach from the other man. She bent over in pain as she was stuck immediately two more times. She hadn't anticipated the blow so she just tried to endure it.  
  
"No! What are you doing?" Oracle glared at the Mad Hatter.  
  
"Looking for answers." 


	8. Mad Hatter madness

Huntress couldn't defend herself. A strong blow to her back made her head spin. Her vision blurred and she saw black spots. The thugs released her and she crumpled to the floor. She thought they were done when a kick to her side made all of the pain flash forward once again.  
  
"Stop this!" Barbara yelled. Mad Hatter smiled.  
  
"Stand up bitch!" one of the men who was beating Huntress yelled taking her by the lapel. "Remember me? You hit me a few days ago"  
  
Huntress raised her eyes recognizing the man from the van. "Yea. the clumsy boy." She mumbled.  
  
"Such the little smart-ass aren't ya baby?." he grinned. Huntress felt as if a hammer crashed against her ribs. A hit near her mouth made her taste the metallic flavor of blood. She wanted to hit back but she couldn't with her hands restrained. She would just try to endure the beating and keep her mouth shut.  
  
"You told me I was going to interrogate her! Stop!" Oracle said.  
  
"She must learn." Mad Hatter smiled.  
  
The two men were all over Huntress. She tried to protect herself from the blows by trying to curl up in a ball but to no avail. Oracle wheeled forward, pushing her way between the men and Helena. She waved one escrima stick at them in a menacing manner. "I said stop! How do you expect to get her to talk if she's in a coma or worse?" She faced Mad Hatter. "Let me do this! I know her better than you!"  
  
Mad Hatter signaled to his men to stop. Helena rolled back and forth on the floor moaning softly. With a quick jerk of his head Mad Hatter indicated that the henchmen should leave. They did as they were told but not before each one gave her a swift kick in the ribs. "I want answers today." he ordered as he too exited the room. It was a statement, not a question.  
  
Oracle watched him go and then looked down at the brunette who barely could move. She had a big bruise over one cheek and was bleeding from her mouth and nose. "Damn it Huntress why do you like to make things difficult?"  
  
Huntress coughed and spat blood. Oracle wheeled next to her. "Please, I don't want to see Dinah get hurt. Help me." She said with a soft voice.  
  
"Fuck off," the brunette whispered.  
  
"Mad Hatter will be nice to you if you just help us."  
  
"Son of bitch... I'll... kill him..."  
  
Oracle leaned over her to clean her bottom lip of blood with a napkin. Helena jerked her head back to avoid her touch. Oracle was angry, she really didn't want to hurt her but she was being obstinate as always. "Huntress stop this! Please! Where is Dinah?"  
  
"Oracle wake up! He is a crazy man that is controlling you! Shit!" the girl groaned feeling a sharp jab of pain in her side; she bit her lip trying not to cry. She wasn't sure if some of her ribs were broken since all her body hurt like hell.  
  
Oracle shook her head sadly, not liking to see her protégé in this condition. "Please Huntress I hate to see you like this. We can stop this but you've got to help me. I don't want to see you hurt. Not any worse. Not at all."  
  
"Okay... release me... and I'll help to get you free of this whacko's control!" the brunette said angrily.  
  
"Why are you being stubborn?" Oracle shouted.  
  
"Because I have no intention of helping you hunt down Dinah." Huntress pressed her lips together; the pain was killing her and she was having problems trying to think straight.  
  
"Help me Helena. God, please. He will not hesitate to kill you if you insist on playing the hero."  
  
"...And you? Should I worry about you too?" Huntress locked her eyes on her.  
  
"No but don't test me. Not a good idea." Barbara said in cold voice and wheeled out of the room.  
  
Helena watched her leave, stunned into silence. She coughed up a little more blood and then slowly turned, trying to find a more comfortable position. Those men had used her as a punching bag and she didn't like that one bit. She had to find a way to get out.  
  
Mad Hatter looked through the one-way glass on the door of Helena's cell. "She is like a wild animal. Where did you get her?" he asked Barbara when she wheeled out.  
  
"Her mother was murdered. I picked her up when she was a teen and I trained her."  
  
"You did an excellent job. Without your help I never would have been able trap her. Did she told you where is the girl is?"  
  
"No. Huntress is being her normal stubborn self. If you don't know the correct way to ask her about things she will dodge the question. Now she is pissed. She will let you kill her before she would tell you anything. You can tell your men to beat her to a bloody pulp but that would be a waste of time. I know how to break her."  
  
"Well she doesn't look very broken to me except for maybe a rib or two." He grinned wickedly.  
  
"Your idiots interrupted me..." Barbara protested.  
  
"I'm the boss here not you, don't you forget that!" he growled glaring at her. "I want that damn girl found. I don't want my plans ruined because of her!"  
  
"They won't be. I'll get her to talk. Trust me."  
  
* * *  
  
Alfred sat in stunned silence when Dinah finished telling him what had happened. He was really worried; Barbara was smart and she had at her disposal the sophisticated Delphi system. With it she could hack into any system or place without problem. The greater danger would be if Barbara succeeded in implanting the device into Helena.  
  
"We need to rescue Helena," Dinah said. "I need a plan."  
  
"We can't stay here." Alfred states standing up. "This would be the first place Miss Barbara would look. Follow me."  
  
Dinah followed Alfred to the library of the manor. He went to a wall and pressed a hidden button. The panel to the left of the button moved to one side revealing a secret door.  
  
"What is that?" Dinah asked.  
  
"The entrance to a secret room. Please come in."  
  
"Does this go to the Batcave?"  
  
"No. Miss Barbara will look there first. This leads to Batman's Fallback shelter."  
  
Dinah walked stepped into the hidden elevator. Alfred pressed a button and the elevator whisked them to the Fallout shelter. The door opened and as they stepped out the lights slowly came on. She found herself standing in a twelve by twelve room with a computer in one corner.  
  
"What did Batman use this for?" she asked.  
  
"A backup in case the Batcave is ever compromised."  
  
"Does that computer work?"  
  
"I believe so but it has been awhile since I had tested it. I do know it is an exact replica of the system in the Batcave."  
  
Dinah sat in front of the equipment and turned it on. She began to press buttons in order to test out the system. It whirled to life in a spray of colors and bleeps.  
  
"It's still working. This should help me hack into Delphi."  
  
"To what purpose?" Alfred asked in curiosity.  
  
"Barbara gave me a code to get inside Delphi. If the Mad Hatter is trying to use Barbara and the system to be the greatest thief in New Gotham, I need find a way delay them. But I need time to learn how this equipment works"  
  
Dinah worked hard for hours until she found a way past Delphi's firewall. She now had access to the video system.  
  
"I'm in Alfred!" the blond girl smiled and examined the place. "There are four men and Barbara with Mad Hatter."  
  
"Where is Miss Helena?" Alfred asked leaning over her shoulder to look at the images on the screen.  
  
Dinah typed a few commands to switch cameras. Soon she and Alfred were looking inside Helena's cell. They could see that she was sound asleep on the floor. "That means that Mad Hatter hasn't gotten control of her yet. We still have time to do something fast."  
  
"Do you have a plan?"  
  
"No. But I hope to have one soon."  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Barbara was guiding the men of the Mad Hatter. She interrupted the transmissions to all the traffic lights in New Gotham causing chaos in the streets. Traffic was at a stand still all that night. Mad Hatter was happy with Barbara's work so he started planning his next big robbery, Central Bank.  
  
The next afternoon, when Barbara was showing him the security system of the bank on the screen of the computer, the signal vanished. She frowned as she tried to reestablish the link.  
  
"What is happening?" Mad Hatter asked looking at her worried face.  
  
"I don't know." Barbara said as she typed furiously on the keyboard. She discovered that Dinah had accessed Delphi's database and was copying and then deleting files. "Damn." She grumbled and began to change the password to stop Dinah before she could cause any more damage.  
  
"What is going on?" Mad Hatter insisted again.  
  
"Dinah is inside Delphi and is fucking it all up!" she shouted. "She is deleting my database!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"She used an access code to get inside. The alarm didn't sound because it was a valid password. Now I am attempting to block her."  
  
* * *  
  
"She discovered me." Dinah grumbled. "She kicked me off."  
  
Alfred stood behind her. "Were you on long enough?"  
  
"Enough to copy all New Gotham maps; the database and codes of police; the software to intercept the systems of computers and phone lines, criminal files, the files of all meta people and our files. I deleted it from Delphi, so I guess he would be now really pissed. But this should stop the Mad Hatter plans for a while and give us time to rescue Barbara and Helena."  
  
"How are you going to help them?" He asked.  
  
"You are going to help me on that." 


	9. A fallen angel

"She discovered me." Dinah grumbled. "She kicked me off."  
  
Alfred stood behind her. "Were you on long enough?"  
  
"Enough to copy all New Gotham maps; the database and codes of police; the software to intercept the systems of computers and phone lines, criminal files, the files of all meta people and our files. I deleted it from Delphi, so I guess he would be now really pissed. But this should stop the Mad Hatter plans for a while and give us time to rescue Barbara and Helena."  
  
"How are you going to help them?" He asked.  
  
"You are going to help me on that."  
  
* * *  
  
Huntress was sleeping on the floor recovering from the brutal beating she had received on the previous day when she was abruptly awakened by a swift kick to her ribs. "Damn..." she grumbled feeling still her body broke.  
  
"Okay, where is the damn blonde?" Mad Hatter shouted. "She was inside Delphi's system! She had the gall to delete all the files I needed!"  
  
Huntress eyes transformed. "I don't know." She desperately wanted kill the little man. To hell with the superhero code, this moron deserved it. He tried to kick her again but she moved faster. She hit him on the back of his knees causing them to buckle, sending him crashing to the floor. With a well-aimed kick to the head she was able to stun him. She quickly wrapped her legs around his throat, choking him with the chains on her feet.  
  
"Now you stupid sorry excuse for a man., I want you to tell me how to remove that damn chip from Oracle or I swear to God that I will break your neck." She grunted, squeezing harder to get her point across.  
  
"I don't think..." he tried to say something but Huntress applied more pressure to his throat. "Okay, okay... you need the pistol. But Oracle is still trying to fix it."  
  
"You're lying! You were able to destroy the chips in those men we grabbed a few days ago. You know how to do it. Stop screwing around."  
  
"You wouldn't, he said barely whispering. Huntress squeezed harder.  
  
"The chip is biological... It kills people slowly; has an internal auto- destruction system that only you could activate with the pistol."  
  
"Huntress!!" Oracle shouted from the door "Release him!"  
  
"Let me go or I'll break his neck!" the brunette yelled back.  
  
The four henchmen moved to enter the cell. Barbara stopped them with her hand.  
  
"Enter the damn code in the keypad and open these fucking chains or he is a dead man!" Huntress ordered.  
  
"Huntress calm down." Oracle said "You..."  
  
"Open the damn chains!"  
  
"Kill Oracle!" Mad Hatter managed to shout.  
  
"Shut up!" Huntress growled, pressing harder to make him grunt in pain.  
  
One of the henchmen wrapped his arm around Oracle's neck. "Okay, you break his neck" he said "and I'll do the same with your friend and then we kill you."  
  
"It's your choice Huntress." Mad Hatter laughed. "Go ahead and kill me."  
  
Huntress was furious. He had managed to back her into a corner. There was no way in hell that she was going to let them hurt Barbara. She released him, growling in frustration, her lips pressed into a thin line. Mad hatter rubbed his bruised neck as he stood up and backed away from her. With a nod he ordered the man to released Barbara.  
  
"Damn, she is really good. You trained her well," he said. Suddenly he turned and punched Helena in the face, slamming her against the wall. "She needs another lesson" he said to his henchmen and walked toward the door. Huntress rose quickly to her feet when she saw the men walking toward her.  
  
Oracle looked Mad Hatter "What are they going to do? You know that she won't talk if..."  
  
"I don't want her to talk. She needs to learn who is boss around here," he said walking out. "Follow me, we need finish to fix the pistol before she kills us or I end up killing her."  
  
Huntress pushed one of the henchmen with her shoulder. And hit another one with her head. One of them held her by her back and threw her against the floor.  
  
Barbara caught hold of Mad Hatter's sleeve as he moved pass her. "If she is hurt she won't be able to help you with the plan."  
  
"She is your problem now Oracle. They are your protégé's so it is your responsibility to keep them under control. I don't want any problems with this mission just because of her. And I want you to fix that damn gun as soon as possible. Huntress is very smart and she could escape at any moment so I don't want to take any chances. I want that device installed in her damn head as soon as possible, get it?"  
  
Oracle nodded.  
  
"And I want her finding and bringing me back that kid. Oh and another thing. Don't ever touch me again. Understood?"  
  
Oracle nodded again, biting her lower lip.  
  
"I didn't hear you."  
  
"Yes, yes," Oracle shouted. "I'll work on this! Count on it. I'll bring Dinah to you. Just tell them to leave her alone!"  
  
"Don't fail to me again. I don't like the mistakes that are being made. Usually mistakes are very deadly to the people who make them." Mad Hatter smiled and looked back. Huntress was curled in a tight ball on the floor trying to avoid the blows of Mad Hatter's men.  
  
This wasn't new; it was the second time in two days that she had been punished for her abstinence. It was a good idea try to force him to release her but his henchmen showing up screwed it all up. Huntress was now trying to think of other things to avoid the pain, maybe a way to escape. She felt a blow from one of the men's fist. She had to figure out how to tell Dinah that a high frequency sound would disable Oracle's device. Another blow cracked hard against her, this once to her back. She tried not to think about it, instead focusing only on how to get to her partner. She knew that if she tried to use the comm system Barbara easily trace the signal to Dinah.  
  
A kick to her ribs brought tears to her eyes. Damn it was hard to think when she had four mastodons using her as a punching bag. Oracle was at the cell door talking with that damn man; she wished she could get her hands free to kill him. Her mind screamed in pain but she remained silent, refusing to give them the satisfaction of hearing her cry out.  
  
"Enough!" Mad Hatter shouted to his men "We have work to do." He turned his back on Oracle and walked toward the elevator with his men trailing behind.  
  
Huntress sighed with relief when the beating stopped. The problem now was that she couldn't feel her body. The pain yes, her body no. Her face felt warm but she wasn't sure she still had a face. She could felt a thread of blood running down her forehead... or maybe it was two and one was running into her right eye temporarily blinding her. She could barely turn onto her side.  
  
Oracle was upset. Dinah arriving early at Clock Tower and the pistol that Helena had broken was something that she hadn't planned on and time was ticking against her. She looked down at the crumpled heap on the floor. Oracle slowly shook her head. Mad Hatter was right, she needed work faster before he killed her or she killed him. She took a first aid kit that was hanging outside the cell and wheeled in.  
  
Huntress felt Oracle's hand on her arm. She tried to pull away but her body refused to respond. She growled when Oracle touched her side.  
  
"That was a stupid thing to do," Oracle chided her as she opened the kit. She used a gauze pad soaked in alcohol on the bruise under her ribcage. Huntress did not look good. She had bruises over all her body and her right eye was almost completely swollen shut. "I'll try to fix that damn pistol tonight to stop you from committing suicide. You never did learn when to keep your mouth shut and be quiet."  
  
Huntress tried to answer but she felt the darkness falling over her.  
  
* * *  
  
"We need use a truth serum." Polly said to Oracle.  
  
"What? Sodium Pentothal? That won't work." Oracle moved her head. "It's just a mild sedative that makes people more talkative, but not necessarily more honest."  
  
"We need to try! We need find that blond girl!"  
  
"No, we to need fix the pistol. The drug would depress your central nervous system, slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. All of those effects are the functions of any sedative. Sodium Pentothal is commonly used as an anesthetic during surgery. The patient is unconscious within 30 to 60 seconds after the drug has been administered to their veins. The duration of the anesthesia is very short; it only causes a few minutes of sedation.."  
  
"I said we are going to use it!" Polly shouted "Today!"  
  
"Oaky, but that won't work." Oracle sigued.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Dinah examined the videotape of Clock Tower. She freeze in horror as she watched the grainy images of Helena being beaten by Oracle. Alfred was shocked too.  
  
"Miss Barbara is realy out of control." Alfred said "What are you planning? Do you really think that you can negotiate with Oracle in this state?" "I was trying to buy time but Helena doesn't have it." Dinah said worried. "Oracle doesn't seem to care if that goon kills Helena. And if they keep up what they're doing to her, they will kill her. But may be I could do an exchange, Helena for the software."  
  
"You know she never would do that: it's more likely she would agree to the trade as a way to lure you into an ambush."  
  
"Son of bitch." Dinah mumbled when she saw another images of Huntress inside the cell. "We need get her out of there. Helena is still trapped, Alfred. I think..I fear that Barbara will fix that gun before I can help Helena. There's no way that I'm going to be able to get back inside without some assistance." "Maybe then you should try to lure her out of the Clock Tower." "That's kind of what I was thinking.."  
  
Dinah typed on the computer and searched for information. "This is complicated." she said to Alfred who was behind her "I know all the passwords for Delphi but still, hacking it is..aha. I found it! Jervis Tetch was merely an eccentric scientist who experimented with mind-control on small animals. He had a great passion for the Lewis Carroll novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and identified himself with the tea party guest the Mad Hatter, as he bears a striking resemblance to the character. Another interest was in another Alice, the pretty young secretary who worked for him. Being an extremely shy man with a reputation for being an oddball, Tetch assumed the persona of the Mad Hatter to feel more self-confident." She paused. "How pathetic is that?"  
  
"Indeed," Alfred murmured.  
  
She shook her head and continued on. "He pressed his affections on Alice who only rejected him. This rejection significantly wounded Tetch, and in an insane quest to ease his perceived mental wounds, he worked even harder on his mind-control devices until they were powerful enough to control the human mind. He then enslaved Alice's mind with one and forced her to follow his every whim. Jervis' plans were spoiled a little later by Batman, however, and this caused his mind to snap. Since then, he had exhibited a maddening hatred for the Dark Knight, any of his followers."  
  
"I think I remember him, he had several strange encounters with Master Bruce. An odd duck he."  
  
"He is a criminal genius. His scientific mind rises far above the trapped limitations of physical strength and prowess in that he has a tremendous grasp of how other minds work. Mad Hatter developed devices that allow him to literally control the minds of men and women alike, along with anything else that possesses a brain. These control-chips induce Tetch's victims into a trance-like state," Dinah went on. She chuckled. "Barbara almost seems like she's in awe of him. At least judging from these notes on him."  
  
"Oracle is under his spell." Alfred pointed out.  
  
Dinah checked all the files that she had stolen from Barbara. She sighed with relief; this would delay the plans of Mad Hatter. But for how long? That truly was the question. 


	10. Just one bird

A sharp pain in her side made Huntress open her eyes. It took her a few seconds to focus on the white ceiling of the cell. She moved slowly, trying to get comfortable, but her whole body hurt. Her arms were numb after so many hours with them behind her back. She could just barely sit up resting her back against the wall. She looked at herself. She had different clothes on and saw a bandage around her waist. Barbara had cleaned her up and changed her.  
  
The door opened and she saw Polly walk in, followed by two henchmen, Barbara and Mad Hatter. Huntress looked at the two men walking towards her and she moved back. It was too soon for another beating.   
  
"Now what?" she growled trying to kick them. But they restrained her. Huntress looked at Barbara who was holding a syringe with liquid inside. Polly extended her arm and Barbara gave her the needle. It had some strange orange concoction in it. "Do you know what this is?" the woman asked.  
  
"Orange juice?" Huntress quipped.  
  
"Do you know what this 'Orange juice is'?" Polly said allowing some of the liquid out of the needle. "You are going to talk to me and tell me the absolute truth."  
  
"Forget it!" Huntress tried to avoid her, but she was easily overwhelmed. "Oracle!" she yelled.  
  
"Now where are your jokes?" Polly smiled and leaned over her.  
  
Huntress felt the needle burying in her thigh and she groaned, feeling totally frustrated. Oracle watched her in silence. Polly stepped back and the henchmen released the girl.  
  
"This is useless!" Oracle protested to Mad Hatter "Sodium Pentothal slows the metabolism and minimizes stress and excitement. This drug produces the state of full relaxation and makes patients more susceptible to suggestion. It allows the psychiatrists to uncover repressed feelings or memories. But she will not tell you the truth if she doesn't want to."  
  
"Shut up and go fix that damn pistol!" Mad Hatter yelled. Oracle turned her wheelchair and exited the room. She was annoyed and felt a headhache coming on. She put her hand to her head. Mad Hatter looked at her and smiled. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"No, Im okay" the red head said and wheeled to her lab.  
  
Mad Hatter looked inside the cell again. Huntress's eyes had turned glassy. The brunette felt her mind fog and and her body seemed to slow down and relax. She was wondering what the hell they had injected her with. Polly leaned over her, "Huntress do you hear me?".  
  
".Yea.." Huntress felt relaxed and foggy. Whatever they had given her was very powerful.  
  
"Tell me where your friend is." It was an order not a question.  
  
"Mmmm?" The brunette blinked, trying to clear her mind. Everything was blurred.  
  
"Where is Dinah?"  
  
".I don't know." Huntress struggled trying to move back.  
  
"Huntress, we need to find her, where is she?" Polly held her. Helena groweled. "Huntress? Where is she?"  
  
".Not far."   
  
"Not far? Where?" Polly brushed her hair. "Tell me."  
  
"I. can't." Huntress hated feeling so powerless, but she couldn't avoid it.  
  
"Yes you can, tell me."  
  
"Dinah?"  
  
"Yes, where is Dinah?"  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Barbara was finishing up fixing the pistol. She felt sick; she took some pills and looked worriedly at her watch. She was having a hell of a time trying to recover all the files and software of Delphi system. Polly walked around the platform and stood up in front of her.  
  
"We got her." Polly smiled crossing her arms.  
  
"She talked?" Barbara asked surprised.  
  
"Yes, I told you she would."  
  
"I doubt it. Huntress is not easy. That drug."  
  
"I'll bring the damn blonde back and I'll show you!"  
  
Barbara watched her go and continued on with her work.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
A few minutes later the phone at Clock Tower rang insistently. She was surprised when she heard Dinah's voice on the other end of the line. Mad Hatter was with her at Delphi system.  
  
the blonde called out.  
  
"Where are you?"  
  
  
  
"That's the same question that I was going to ask you. Stop this!" Barbara said. "Give me back my files!"  
  
I  
  
"Dinah, you don't understand. Let's go fix this in a peaceful way. I don't want to hurt Huntress." Oracle began to search the signal of the phone line.  
  
"I can."  
  
Dinah said.  
  
"But I can." Mad Hatter took Oracle's her mic "Your friend Huntress will not be able to walk for a few days after the meeting that we had a little while ago; maybe you will like to see a pic of her but I don't think you would recognize her."  
  
He heard silence at the line.  
  
"I'm tried to be nice. I'm done with that. Breaking a few of her bones to show you that I'm not playing... all fun and games really. But you know what after that I'll kill her and then Oracle." Mad Hatter said.  
  
I  
  
"You can't give me orders."  
  
Dinah cut the communication. Mad Hatter went to the monitor. "Get her?" he asked.  
  
"No, not enough time."  
  
"No problem, Polly will bring her here. Huntress told her where she was."  
  
"Forget it. 'Im sure Huntress lied about her." Barbara said giving him the pistol that she had fixed. "Use this, it's ready."  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Helena woke up. She had a terrible headache and her side was flashing pain. She felt cold and thirsty. She didn't know what time it was or how many hours she had been unconscious. She hated every time that Oracle drugged her because she felt so stupid after it. She just could wait and hope that Dinah would find a way to help her escape soon because she didn't have any opportunity with Oracle keeping watch on her; but she needed keep trying to escape. If no other reason than to be doing something.  
  
She tried to move but her entire body shrieked at her to stop. The last beating had just been too much. She slowly kneeled and pulled the chains again; she gasped feeling a sharp pain in her ribs; she bent down and put her forehead against the floor. Maybe she was hurt worse than she had initially thought; she stayed unmoving until the pain gone and she slowly sat on the floor resting her back on the wall. Her hair now was a mess; yes, she was sure, as soon as all that finished the first thing she was going to do was get it cut. "I'm glad you are awake." Mad Hatter said out of the cell his henchmen and Oracle were with him.  
  
"Son of bitch, as soon as I get free I'll kill you..." Huntress grumbled, her eyes were two lines. She felt her blood burning.  
  
"Are you in bad mood? I see, but don't be angry with me, wasn't me who betrayed you, it was your friend Oracle." He stood up behind the red head. "Why don't tell her how much you hate her for keeping you here? I never would have been able to trap you without her help."  
  
"Stupid bastard!." Huntress growled. "You are going to pay for this."  
  
"Oracle told me many secrets about you, are you interested in knowing exactly which ones?"  
  
Huntress looked Oracle afraid.   
  
"Oh I see," Mad Hatter said "Are you scared about what she's told me? What are you hiding?"  
  
"Better be afraid about what I will do to you." her eyes shone. Mad Hatter shuddered as a chill slid through him. He felt the gaze of the girl in the cell. He was suddenly very thankful for the chains holding her down. "It's time that you join to us." Oracle said to Huntress.  
  
"Why we don't we resolve this face to face you damn nutcase?" Huntress grunted to Mad Hatter.  
  
"I guess you might need a shot from this to get you more cooperative." Oracle raised a device and showed it to the girl. Huntress looked her knowing her time was up and her heart beat faster. "I've programmed it to do what every master wants; in this case make you find Dinah for us and then later start with his robbery plans. You won't be able to reject it." Oracle put the device inside the gun.  
  
Oracle opened the door of the cell. Huntress saw the henchmen walk over to her, she figured she could hit one of them on the face with her head and kick the another one but her great escape plans faded away when two other men entered the cell. One of them threw her against the floor. She groaned loudly as she slammed against her injured side. The thug hit her against the floor again, her chin scraping the ground. Huntress couldn't avoid crying out when one of the men put his knee against her side. Three men were over her trying to restrain the girl. The fourt one put the collar around her neck.  
  
"Damn! Coward!" Huntress shouted. "Oracle stop this!"  
  
Mad Hatter circled her. "You are pretty strong," He said watching the four men trying to hold on to the girl that was chained. Oracle gave him the gun and he kneeled next to Huntress.  
  
"This won't hurt princess." Mad Hatter smiled.  
  
Huntress struggled unsuccessfully as two stong hands pressed her face against the floor.   
  
"I'll kill you!" she yelled.  
  
Mad Hatter brushed her hair back and she heard the gun fitting into the collar. "Easy baby."  
  
"Oracle! Help me!" Huntress shouted trying to struggle free.  
  
Oracle watched her unmoving. Huntress fixed her eyes on her trying to find Barbara, but she just could saw a cold glaze; Barbara wasn't there; she growled before being hit on the back of the head. Everything went black. 


	11. Pride

Huntress listened to her name. Someone was calling her but sounded so far away. She felt like she was moving through a dark tunnel. She heard too many voices around her; but she couldn't understand what was happening.  
  
"Huntress wake up!" a man's voice ordered her. Everything felt heavy and thick but slowly she was able to force her eyes open. The normal vibrant blues were now glassy and unfocused. She tried to move but her ribs hurt like hell. She gasped. She saw a short man kneel in front of her.  
  
"Why hasn't she come over yet?" Oracle asked.  
  
"Easy; the device is adapting to her nervous system." Mad hatter took the girl by her jaw "Huntress, is that your name?"  
  
".Yea."  
  
"Huntress, do you recognize that woman in the chair?"  
  
The brunette blinked and saw Oracle looking her; she nodded.  
  
"Take this pistol and you are going to shot her on the head" Mad hatter put a pistol in front of her on the floor.  
  
Huntress nodded lightly. She sat huddled on the floor, arms wrapped tightly around her waist, almost like she was trying to keep her insides in. She glanced down at the weapon on the ground. She still felt dazed. Just the same she finally picked it up and then staggered to her feet. Hand wavering unsteadily she aimed it at Oracle. "Just shoot princess." Mad Hatter said.  
  
Huntress staggered; she tried to focus. Oracle looked her unmoving. Her green eyes on her. Huntress pressed the trigger.  
  
Click.  
  
That was all, just a click.  
  
Huntress pressed again the trigger and examined the weapon. "This doesn't have any bullets in it."  
  
"Well done." Mad hatter said taking the gun out of the hand of the girl. "Well done. I was testing you."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"That is not your business."  
  
Huntress fell silent, instead choosing to avert her eyes to the ground. She felt awful. She was tired, dazed and close to dropping. She heard an annoying buzzing noise that seemed to echo through her brain. Holding her side she stepped back to rest on the wall.  
  
"She is hurt Mad Hatter" Oracle said "I told you that it wouldn't be a good idea to beat her."  
  
"Don't tell me what to do or not to," Mad Hatter snapped. "Give her whatever you want; I need her looking for the blond."  
  
In that moment Polly walked in the cell really upset. "This stupid bitch lied to me!" she yelled pointing at Huntress. "She told us that blond girl was hiding in an old building. I wasted my time!"  
  
"I told you the serum wasn't.." Oracle tried to say.   
  
"I'll show you not to lie to me again bitch," Polly walked toward Huntress and slapped her. The brunette eyes turned feral and before Polly could react a hard blow over her nose make her fly backwards.  
  
A henchman tried to grab her but she kicked him and hit a second one. Mad hatter smiled and stepped back toward Barbara.   
  
"She is amazing." He smiled.  
  
One of the men took out a club and tried to hit her but she broke his nose with a hard kick.  
  
"Stop Huntress!" Mad Hatter said when he saw the brunette preparing to attack other of his men. The brunette stood up in the middle of the room, her fist in balls, waiting for any excuse to start hitting again.  
  
Polly had a hand over her face. "She broke my nose!" she shouted.   
  
"Don't be stupid" Mad Hatter said to Polly. "She is now on our side. Oracle, send her for the blonde."  
  
"Huntress, go to the lab. You have work to do." Oracle said to the brunette taking her hand. Huntress looked at her in silence and walked to the door grimacing.  
  
"Huntress, where is Dinah?" Mad Hatter asked before she went out.   
  
"I told her go to look for Alfred." The brunette said turning her face.  
  
"Who is Alfred?"  
  
"Our butler." Oracle answered.   
  
"He is the only one that could help her." Huntress added. "She is still training, she didn't have the expeience to work alone."  
  
"I want her." Mad hatter said to Huntress. The brunette closed her eyes and put her hand to her head. "Did you hear me?"  
  
"Yes." Huntress grunted. Mad hatter looked Oracle.  
  
The red head wheeled toward her protegee. "What's the problem Huntress?"  
  
"My head." She said, staggering a bit. "I'll give you some pills" Oracle said. "Now go to the lab."   
  
"Go and do what ever you need to do with her but catch the blond." Mad hatter took Polly by her arm.  
  
Huntress exited Clock tower a few minutes later. Oracle followed her signal by the computer. Mad hatter walked in the lab and stood up behind her. "Where did she go?" he asked.  
  
"To look for Dinah, I'm not sure that she will be there...with Alfred I mean... but maybe she will find a trace. She needs to rest a while if you want her working at 100%. She is pretty badly hurt" Oracle explained. "I'm worried about the pain in her head and back. I think the device is making it worse."  
  
"What's wrong with the device?"   
  
"I just looked at it real quick," Barbara explained showing him some graphics "I found some strange kind of interference. The device signal is crashing against her brain waves. I need to correct it when she returns."  
  
"Okay, do anything you want with her but tell her first bring the blonde here." Mad hatter said.  
  
* * *  
  
Huntress jumped between the buildings, but her movements were most sluggish and uncoordinated. Her entire body ached but her ribs felt like they were about to explode in her chest. She wasn't sure if Dinah would be at Wayne Manor, but she figured maybe she could at least find a clue as to their intents. Maybe inside the Batcave.   
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"Miss Dinah" Alfred said looking one of the monitors. Dinah was sleeping on a couch. Dinah blinked and looked up at the monitors. With much effort she stood up.   
  
"Huntress?" she mumbled looking the thin figure walking between the darkness in the house.  
  
"What is she doing here?" Alfred raised his brow.   
  
"Don't know. she looks like she's hurt. maybe she escaped." The kid stood up. Alfred held her by the hand.  
  
"Be careful Miss Dinah, we don't know if she too is under the Mad Hatter's control."   
  
Dinah looked again the screen, "No, I don't think so."   
  
"And what if she is?"  
  
"I don't have any here to stop her." Dinah looked around "I need go to see."  
  
"Be careful Miss Dinah."  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Huntress looked around; the blonde didn't seem to have been there. She grumbled and rested her back against the wall. She took her hands to the back of her neck. She turned on her mic.  
  
"Oracle. this damn buzzing in my head is driving me crazy."  
  
::Did you find Dinah?:: the redhead asked.  
  
"No, the house is clean; I'll go to the cave. Maybe she is there."  
  
::Alfred?::  
  
"Not here; maybe they are in the cave."  
  
Dinah walked inside the hall and slowly, entered inside the library room, where Huntress was looking for the button to open the entrace to the Batcave.  
  
"Helena?" the blond girl said almost with a whisper.  
  
Huntress eyes changed and she looked at the girl. She had found her target.  
  
"Are you okay?" Dinah asked looking her cautiously.  
  
"Yea." Huntress walked near the window. Dinah could saw the white light of the moon over her face. She didn't look okay, she could saw a big bruise on her cheek.  
  
"Huntress, you are hurt!"   
  
"I'm okay, how are you?" she walked toward her.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Dinah instictively stepped back. "Are you Helena?"  
  
"Who else?" the brunette fixed her cold glaze on her "I was looking for you."  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"Dinah's been located," Oracle said.  
  
"Excellent, bring her here." Mad Hatter ordered.  
  
"Huntress, bring Dinah here, and don't be so rude." She looked at the Mad Hatter "Im worried, she is rejecting the device. It's hurting her. It could cause permanent brain damage."  
  
"What?"  
  
Oracle frowned as she examined one of the readouts on her screen. It was broadcasting the status of the chip and several bars were already in the red. "Something is wrong, I don't know what but something is wrong. Maybe we."  
  
"Doesn't fucking matter if her brain turns to jelly, I want that damn blond!" Mad Hatter shouted.  
  
Oracle turned on her mic "Huntress trap her and bring her here inmediately."  
  
  
  
  
  
* * * 


	12. More troubles

Dinah could tell that Huntress wasn't quite herself. Her normally dancing blue eyes were cold. The blonde stepped back. "How did you... escape?" She swallowed hard, more than a little nervous about her friend. There was just no other way to put it; Huntress intimidated the living hell out of her.  
  
"Mad Hatter. tried to take me to the infirmary to install." she trailed off, closing her eyes for a few seconds as a sharp pain ripped through her skull. Finally as it faded she continued. ".the device and I. was able to escape... I've been looking for you everywhere kid."  
  
"And Barbara?" Dinah asked.  
  
"We need help to her." Huntress walked toward her almost mechanically. Her movements were so strange and awkward.  
  
"What happened to you?" Dinah asked, taking an involuntary step backwards.  
  
"They gave me a good ass-whooping. but. I heal fast."  
  
"I know. I saw what they did to you." Dinah wondered if it was possible that her friend was acting so oddly because of how much pain she had to be in thanks to all the beatings. She hesitated "May I touch you?"   
  
The brunette smiled nervously, "Hm? What now?"  
  
"May I touch you?"  
  
"Sure..." Huntress raised her arm as if to offer it to Dinah. The moment the blonde reached for her, she jerked into action. She slid forward and tried to nail Dinah in the jaw but the telekinetic ducked the blow. Huntress turned sharply and kicked her. Dinah fell backwards.   
  
"Stupid kid." Huntress growled.  
  
Dinah looked up at Huntress. She almost looked like a dark angel, her eyes glistened and she smiled evily. Dinah knew instinctively that time was short. Closing her eyes she willed herself to fight back.  
  
"Forgive me for hurting you," Dinah whispered as she kicked out and slammed her feet into Helena's already bruised gut. Helena staggered back, momentarily taken aback. Dinah jumped up and tried to run but suddenly Huntress leaped in front of her and blocked her way. Dinah stepped back.  
  
"Kid, let's just do the easy way." Huntress felt annoyed. "I don't want hurt you."  
  
"I don't want hurt you either."  
  
Huntress laughed "You're kidding right?" She charged forward to attack but Dinah raised her hand and pushed her with her mind power making her hit her back against the wall. Huntress stood up, anger flashing in her eyes. She was seriously pissed. She gave a hard tight smile and then hissed out, "So you want to play? Let's play then."  
  
::Helena don't hurt her:: she heard Oracle's voice in her comm.  
  
"Don't fucking bother me right now!" Huntress shouted. Dinah pushed her back again using her power. "Good." Huntress smiled "Just remember who always wins in the training room kid." She jumped up and dropped down next to the blonde. She threw a hard left that Dinah evaded by dropping to the ground. Huntress kicked her in the stomach and Dinah crashed against the wall knocking over a table full of books. "Piece of cake." Huntress said. She hissed as another flash of pain ripped through her. She placed a hand to the back of her neck and growled.  
  
::What's wrong??:: Oracle asked.  
  
"It's hurts..." The brunette said clenching her teeth.  
  
::Did you get her yet? Don't worry about the pain right now. Get Dinah!::  
  
Huntress shook her head and walked toward Dinah "Sure, I need to teach her a lesson." Dinah stood up and tried to punch at Helena but she missed almost completely. The brunette slugged her twice and kicked her making her fall back and crash through a glass table. She lay stunned on the ground, wincing in pain. ::Huntress, just trap her. Get her. Stop playing with your food.::  
  
"Let me have fun a while and later I'll kill her."  
  
::No, you must bring her here!:: Orcale said knowing that Huntress was rejecting the device too fast.  
  
"Fuck you!." Huntress lifted Dinah up into the air and then threw her against the bookcase. The blond hit it hard, her body creaking in resistance. ::Huntress!!::  
  
Dinah kicked out at Huntress and using her power sent her flying against a hard wooden door on the opposite side of the room. Huntress hit it directly and staggered under the impact. She jerked to her feet and looked angrily at the blonde. She just had in her mind to just kill the stupid kid.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
"What is happening?" the Mad Hatter asked at Clock Tower.  
  
"She is not exactly a human." Barbara explained typing on her keyboard "There are people in the world, a lot of people with abilities beyond what we think of as human. I don't know what their powers come from: natural mutations, biological experiments, no one knows. Huntress is half human and half meta. She has an inmunologycal system that makes her heal very fast. She is rejecting the device, I told you."  
  
"Stop it!" shouted Mad Hatter.  
  
"I cant stop her biological functions! Her inmunological system is damaging the device and the waves that is sending to her are out of my control.!."  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Dinah ducked to avoid another blow from Helena. The brunette felt a hard object hitting her back and grunted. Dinah had thrown a chair at her. "Now I'm pissed dammit!" Huntress shouted standing up. "If you want to die slowly it's your choice." Her eyes' changed, she growled and the charged her prey. Dinah tried to cover herself but the impact of Helena colliding with her was roughly equivalent to being hit with the full force of a hurricane. A punch of Huntress's broke her lip and anther one cut her left brow. She tried to avoid the next blow but Huntress was faster, much fasther than her anyways. She fell to the floor dazed and bleeding from her nose. "Huntress. "the kid spat blood and coughed "It's me."  
  
"Want to play more?" Huntress smirked looking at the blond girl dragging herself across the floor.  
  
::Huntress don't kill her! We need here alive!:: Oracle said.  
  
"Fuck off!" Helena growled back at Oracle. The pain cycling through her was making thinking even harder than usual. "Miss Helena, No!"  
  
Huntress turned and looked Alfred stood up at the door. "Why the hell aren't you at the asylum grandfather?"  
  
Alfred looked at Huntress's eyes; she was terrifying like this."She is your friend."  
  
"Wanna play too?" she smirked.  
  
"Please Miss Helena," he said. "We are your friends. We are your family and this is not you.""  
  
"You are so dead old man." She walked toward him. She stopped halfway there.  
  
A sudden jolt of pain jerked through her and she felt her focus blur. Putting a hand to the back of her neck she growled.  
  
And then she fell.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"Order her to come here before it's too late." Mad Hatter yelled.  
  
"Huntress" Oracle said in the mic "Come back now. Do you copy? Now!"  
  
Mad Hatter looked his men "Go to that Wayne Manor and bring me that damn blond girl, I need her and all the software that she stole from me!"  
  
"And Huntress? I need to take." Oracle asked.  
  
"They will bring her back if her brain is not toasted." Mad Hatter shouted.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Huntress couldn't think, the pain in her back was blocking all of her senses. It felt like she had a sharp knife in her back. And not the metaphorical type. She fell to her knees holding her head. She could heard Oracle calling her but she couldn't respond.  
  
Alfred helped Dinah to stand up. "What is happening?" he asked confused.  
  
"I don't know" Dinah looked at Helena with fear in her eyes.  
  
Huntress rolled on the floor growling. Dinah went slowly to her, she tried to touch her but Huntress hit her hand back and stood up stumbling. She didn't stay on her feet for long. Staggering back she crashed against a desk near to her.  
  
"Something is hurting her, maybe the device." Dinah said to Alfred as she reached out for Helena again. She grabbed for her arms in an attempt to catch her.  
  
Helena tried to struggle but Dinah clearly had the upper hand. The blonde finally slammed her friend against the ground and straddled her. Dinah touched her wrist. Inmediately she entered in her mind. What she saw of course was immediate chaos but that was to be expected. Digging deeper and towards recent events she saw Helena drugged and fighting against Oracle, she saw Barbara installing the device in Helena's back, and then of course Mad Hatter. It was all so much; she felt like she was about to explode.  
  
There was a blast of light and the Dinah was forcibly ejected from Helena's head. Looking down she could see that her friend was dead out.  
  
"She had one of the devices in her head. something is wrong. it's hurting her. she has a fever." Dinah said standing up again. "Something is wrong with the device." Dinah touched the back of her neck and could feel a small and hard object there. She felt Helena jerk under the touch and then begin to shale violently, almost like she was having a seizure. Dinah gathered her into her arms and held her tight, protecting her friend from further serious injury.   
  
* * *  
  
::Huntress. Can you hear me?:: Oracle called out. Seconds passed without an answer.  
  
"Is she coming back?" Mad Hatter asked worried.  
  
"No, she's not answering me but I still have her on the screen." Oracle said.  
  
"Stupid girl." 


	13. We need a plan

Dinah felt Huntress body finally stop seizing and the muscles relax. "You'll be okay, you'll be okay" the blonde said softly; Huntress had her eyes half open and her mouth trembled lightly. Dinah touched the back of her head again, Helena was so damn feverish. Dinah turned her gently on her back and moved her short hair. She could see the bruise where Mad Hatter had installed the device. Alfred looked at it too.  
  
"She is in shock, we need to take this thing out of her," he said.  
  
"Yes, and we need to get her out of here before they find her again." Dinah removed Helena's comm earrings and held them up to Alfred. "It'll be better if we go to the dockyards."  
  
"Yes," Alfred agreed, understanding that Dinah rather suspected Oracle to know exactly where they were. And now she was intentionally trying to dupe out her mentor."Let's go."  
  
Dinah unsnapped Helena's necklace and dropped it the ground. Alfred dropped to his knees beside her. "I will carry Miss Helena."  
  
* * *  
  
"How is that you didn't find those damn girls?" Mad Hatter shouted smashing his fist against a table.  
  
"They were gone when we arrived." Skimmer explained. "We just found the earrings and the necklace."  
  
"I hate those girls!" Mad Hatter shouted.  
  
"Dinah said they're were heading to the dockyards." Oracle said. "Heard it over comm before they removed it." She shook her head. "It was that damn device, I told you it was a problem."  
  
"Don't fuck with me!"  
  
"She was rejecting the device! I told you!"  
  
"Great! Now I hope that her brain just fried, that should be her punishment. Find them!" he pointed at her "You are the smart one here! Keep sending her the signal to bring the blond girl here!"  
  
"I'm doing it but that will cause her more pain. or kill her." Oracle tried to explain.  
  
"Just do it!!!!!" Mad Hatter yelled. "That damn bitch will obey or die!"   
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Dinah and Alfred were in the secret room inside the Manor. The small blonde paced, worried sick for her friend. Alfred placed Helena on the surface of a large desk. He moved to place a towel beneath her head and winced at the heat he felt when he touched Helena's skin. She was burning up.  
  
"Bring me ice from the fridge" he asked to Dinah. She ran to the kitchen while he examined the neck of the girl for several minutes with the help of the equipment that was there. He checked the results of the test on the screen.  
  
".Alfred?" Helena mumbled suddenly.  
  
"Miss Helena, you are safe now."  
  
The girl groaned softly. "My head."  
  
"You will be okay." He pressed her hand. He had noticed her immune system was protecting her working almost as an autodefense biological system; it was destroying the device slowly. Unfortunately it was fairly painful process. Dinah entered with a bag of ice. Helena heard her steps and she turned to see her. When she recognized the blond girl, her eyes changed to feral mode and tried to stand to catch her but she couldn't and groaned taking her hands to her head. She dropped back down and fell unconscious. Alfred held onto her to keep her from knocking her head against the desk. "What is happening Alfred?" Dinah asked.  
  
"Miss Dinah," Alfred started, moving Helena back to the desk. "It seems as she is rejecting the device and her immune system is destroying it. " He showed her the scanner with a high resolution image on the screen.  
  
"We need to take it out!" Dinah looked worried at Helena. "It's killing her."  
  
"The device is installed next to the brain, we don't have the equipment to take it out." Alfred wiped Helena's forehead and put the ice bag behind her head. "She's having another seizure," Dinah said reaching out to hold Helena still. "This is like a short circuit in her head, between the signal that the device is receiving and her brain waves. Maybe if we could block the signal.. Yes we could do that!"  
  
"How?" Dinah looked around.  
  
"We can close this room hermetically. Over there is a second door." He stood up and went to the wall, he opened a small box and pushed an orange button. A metallic door slide down and covered the original one.  
  
Dinah looked at Helena .She had her eyelids half opened and was breathing in short fast bursts. Dinah noticed that the seizure had apparently stopped. "Helena.?"  
  
Alfred touched Huntress neck "It's okay." he used the scanner on her head again. "The pressure appears to have subsided. Now we sit and wait. Her body must do the rest to heal her. That is her nature." "Barbara is going to be pissed. I sent a virus to Delphi's to block her. She's going to come after us pretty hard now. Including you. She has to have heard you on comm. She surely wants Huntress back and her computer software."  
  
"Yes, but in the meanwhile come with me." He said looking at her. "Let's get your wounds cleaned up. She certainly gave you quite the beating."  
  
Dinah chuckled. "She did indeed."  
  
* * *  
  
Barbara ran a hand over her forehead, stopping to rub at her temples. She could feel the frustration and anxiety mounting in her. Somehow or another, Dinah had not only hacked Delphi but she was even managing to keep her mentor from taking control back. Barbara was pissed and the headache that was starting to grow by leaps and bounds wasn't helping one bit. Mad Hatter walked up to the platform at the Clock Tower. He was in a very bad mood.  
  
"Did you find them?"  
  
"No, but I have great news for you. I should have the equipment working again in just a few hours. At that point I'll be able to reinstall the damaged devices.. Im going to hack the police database and send them files of Huntress and Dinah...list them as dangerous. When they find them; I will know immediately and we will intercept them."  
  
"You did a great job!" He clapped his hands loudly, excitement flushing his face. "That's wonderful news."  
  
Barbara didn't respond, she put her fingers over the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. The headache was too strong, but she needed to keep working.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Many hours later Alfred was checking on Huntress. She was on the couch in the living room covered with a blanket. It was amazing; her injuries had almost completely disappeared. The only real scene of her recent trauma was the fact that her left eye was still bruised and jaundiced. Her cheeks however had regained their normal healthy color. He moved her head forward. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that the contusion on her back had faded away. Dinah walked into the small room, her arms wrapped around her chest. "She looks better." Dinah said softly.  
  
"Yes, the injuries from the beating that they gave her have almost disappeared." Alfred bent to clean out the small cut that was still over Helena's eye. "And the device is gone. Her inmunological system destroyed it. How are you?"  
  
Dinah had a scratch over her forehead and a bruise next to her chin. "Ok. I'm okay, she hits hard." she sat on a chair looking at one of the computer monitors nearby. "Is something wrong Miss Dinah?"  
  
"I have been looking over Helena 's test and that device. something worried me."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Helena rejected it because her biological system noticed a strange organism inside her, right?"  
  
"Right." Alfred confirmed.  
  
"So that thing must be a biological chip and as I can see, the chip slowly destroys the higher brain function when it forces to people obey. That man that Reese found was dead because of the chip. The meta-human healingl system of Helena identified it and destroyed it as soon as possible. but.." Dinah bit her lip.  
  
"But?"  
  
"Barbara is not meta, that thing is killing her slowly and she doesn't realize it. In a person of Barbara's mentality that could be useful as a weapon, after it destroys her brain."  
  
Alfred looked her in silence.  
  
"We need to rescue her soon." She turned to see Helena lying on the couch, still dead out. "But we can't do it without her."  
  
"Her body needs rest to full recover but she is doing much better."  
  
"I understand that but I need her to wake up. We have to get to Barbara before it's too late." She took a deep breath. "The problem is she is controlling almost the entire city. Alfred. By now I'm sure she's rebooted Delphi and has control of it again. I could interfere with her radio signals but that won't but us much time. And God knows how many weird little tracers she put in his when she was just normal Oracle. In any case, she is hunting us now. This is way worse than a nightmare." "We need to bring her back." Alfred sighed. "I'll bring you something for lunch."  
  
"Thanks." Dinah muttered, lost in her thoughts. She crossed her arms and leaned over the chair. She needed Helena to wake up; she needed her help to stop Barbara and to rescue her. She felt her heart jump when she heard a soft noise behind her. Helena was coming around. She kneeled next to her.  
  
"Helena?" 


	14. Catched

Helena blinked. She flinched against the bright light and closed her eyes tightly. Her head was pounding and everything felt confused and out of place. When she finally forced her eyes opened, she looked around. She she didn't recognize it. Or know how she's gotten to it. The last thing she could remember was being held down by a few of Hatter's thugs. "Helena? Its me, Dinah." The girl snaped her fingers in front of her. Helena looked at Dinah, disconcerted and confused. Several long seconds passed. "Hel? It's me. Are you okay?"  
  
"...Kid?" said the brunette.  
  
"Yes it's me!" Dinah smiled "The kid! How do you feel?"  
  
"As if I... have been inside a laundry machine..."  
  
"More or less."  
  
"What happened?" she felt really dizzy."Where am I?"  
  
"Mad Hatter put one of those devices into your head." Dinah explained "You tried to trap me but your healing system began to destroy the device and that gave you a big headache. You were unconscious for almost twenty-four hours." She paused. "In short anyways."  
  
"I remember... Barbara?" Helena noticed that Dinah had a scratch over her eyebrow.  
  
"She is still under the control of Mad Hatter."  
  
"Where are we?" Helena sat up slowly on the couch, testing her limbs as she moved. She groaned as a few creaked in protest. Even her amazing healing process couldn't completely eradicate the whole pain thing altogether.  
  
"In a safe place. She is hunting us now." Dinah tried to avoid talk about where they were "I'm glad that you are better. We need to rescue Barbara before it's too late."  
  
"What is wrong with her?"  
  
"That device is killing her. Apparently your immune something or other rejected it but that's because of what you are. If we don't get it out of her..."  
  
"What?" Helena looked down, she had a bandage over her ribs. "What is this?"  
  
"You have a rib broken and several bruises." Dinah explained hurriedly. "We need to move faster. I've been looking for a way to rescue Oracle." Dinah said "But the Clocktower is a fortress. I don't know what to do."  
  
Helena frowned as she again tried to sit fully up. Her ribs hissed at her and she stopped her upwards movement. "Where are we?"  
  
"Wayne Manor," Dinah finally admitted.  
  
"Why? Why are we here?" Helena demanded as she pushed herself up. Dinah clamped a hand onto her shoulder to slow her. "It was the only safe place! Barbara is still hunting us!" the blond explained.  
  
"Are you crazy?"  
  
"Hel, calm down... I didn't have many options."  
  
"We could go in a damn hole in the underground but not here!"  
  
"She is awake and herself I see," Alfred quipped dryly as he entered the room. He smiled when saw Helena. "I heard her yelling all the way from outside. And don't worry, we are in the underground Miss Helena."  
  
"Alfred brought me here before Barbara could trap me," Dinah informed her, her voice very low and shaky. She hadn't expected Helena's angry response. "Okay, fine, we're safe." Helena grumbled looking around for her boots. "Now we can go find another place to be safe. Anywhere but here."  
  
"Helena, did you hear a word I said? The henchmen of Mad Hatter are looking for us, they are hunting us: he is using everything Barbara knows about us and all the high-tech what's its of Delphi's to trap us."  
  
"I heard you just fine," Helena replied, dropping a hand to her wounded ribs. "We're still going. Where the hell are my boots?."  
  
Dinah walked toward her, anger in her stance. Eyes narrowed she snapped off, "Would you stop being so damn selfish for one minute?" "What?" Helena felt her jaw drop. It was unlike Dinah to ever really get pissed at her.  
  
"Barbara is under the control of Mad Hatter! She trapped you and gave you to him! They beat the living hell out of you for almost two days! You attacked me! You almost killed me! Barbara just sent our descriptions to the police department, they are looking for us now as criminals! We need to help Barbara before that damn device kill her and all you are thinking about is your damn father. Get the fuck over it will you please?" "Dinah..."  
  
"We need to work as a team to rescue her and the Clocktower. If you want to put your life at risk again and Barbara's life too, for your stupid pride...well, then you know what? Fuck you!" the blond head shouted and walked out of the room.  
  
Helena was as stunned as Alfred. They looked at each other with matching expressions of astonishment. "What a mouth! Where did she learn that? ...Alfred, she..." Helena stammered, looking directly at the butler. "Yes, I heard that." Alfred said.  
  
"She never shouts at me... and she never says words like that. Me...yeah...but her?"  
  
"Do you have a plan in mind Miss Helena?." Alfred asked giving her the boots she had been searching for.  
  
"She was way out of line, right?" Helena was still stunned. "I mean how dare she?"  
  
"Well, maybe because she is worried for Miss Barbara."  
  
Helena exhaled and grumbled in low voice. She took the boots and sat on the couch again to put them on. She hissed in pain as her body constricted.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Alfred asked, watching her intently.  
  
"Eat my damn pride and help to rescue Barbara, what else?" Helena growled "Dinah is right... She is damn well right!"  
  
Alfred smiled lightly and said to her: "I think that's an excellent idea, Miss Helena." He paused. "And yes, she is right and if I may say so, I think that's what bothers you the most."  
  
Helena just snorted.  
  
* * *  
  
Helena and Dinah walked down the street that cut to the side of the Clocktower. They had been silent for the majority of the twenty minute journey.  
  
"How do you feel?" Dinah asked, watching the way Helena was grimacing in pain with each step. "I'm okay, don't worry." Helena replied, sounding distracted. She was trying to figure out how to gain access to the Clocktower. Maybe they could go in through the basement and try climbing up the elevator shaft. The drawbacks of that idea involved a long drop and getting smashed by the car if they were discovered. The other way would be by the rooftop. They looked up at the big buiding.  
  
"Won't be easy will it?" Dinah sighed looking up.  
  
"Ah, who wants to do things the easy way? I mean where's the fun in that?" Helena said. "Besides, we're heroes, no?"  
  
"So what? Does that mean we have to do really stupid and insane things that promise certain death?"  
  
Helena winked at her. "Relax. Up is the easy part."  
  
She jerked around when she heard the sound of a car approaching. Narrowing her eyes she realized that it was a patrol unit coming around the corner.  
  
"Do you think they're after us?" Helena asked.  
  
"No, I don't think... I'm sure." Dinah said at the time that the patrol increased it's speed. "Run!"  
  
Both girls began to run to the oppositte side of the street, towards a dark alley between two tall decrepit buildings.  
  
"Barbara changed the police files around...we're wanted criminals," Dinah shouted to her. "Why you didn't tell me that before?" Helena asked.  
  
"I did tell you but if you recall, you were a little more focused on where we were hiding out," Dinah snapped back. Another patrol unit blocked their way to the alley. Helena pushed Dinah to her right towards a door and both entered inside the broken building. They locked the door and went up the creaky stairs.  
  
"This place is so going to fall down around us," Dinah grunted, wrinkling her nose as a rat passed over her feet. Helena made a face of disgust. "I hate rats." She looked out of a half obscured window. "Barbara really sent everyone after us didn't she?""  
  
"What are we going to do?"  
  
"Keep going. We'll try to jump from the roof."  
  
"Says you," Dinah muttered.  
  
They arrived at the rooftop a few minutes later. Shutting the door behind them, Dinah locked the rusty bolt in place. Helena looked around. She saw the next building. Other patrols were arriving on the street and she could pick up what looked like a helicopter on the horizon.  
  
"Just great. What exactly did she say we did?"  
  
"You so don't want to know."  
  
"You're probably right." She looked across at the next building. "You ready for this?"  
  
"What?" Dinah asked stunned.  
  
"We are going to jump, the next building is not far, is a small alley in the middle; just five meters. I can do it."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Just run with me and pray."  
  
Helena took Dinah's hand and jumped. They fell on the next rooftop on their sides and bumped against a water tank. They rolled a few feet before stopping. Helena was laughing even as she was grimacing in pain. "That wasn't exactly polished and pretty." Dinah shook her head.  
  
"Damn..." Huntress gasped holding her hurt side. "but was fun..."  
  
"Helena?"  
  
"We don't have time." Helena stood up putting a hand over her ribs and broke the lock of a door next to her.  
  
They were inside an apartment building. They went down stairs but Dinah stopped suddenly. She heard noises downstairs. She looked at Huntress. "They are here."  
  
Helena looked around, all the floors were similar, no windows. She ran by the corridor and Dinah followed her; she knocked on the door of one of the apartments.   
  
"What are you doing?" Dinah asked.  
  
"Looking for an exit."  
  
A young woman was watching TV distractedly. She had the lights off; the woman heard the knocks at her door *My pizza* she thought. Without taking her eyes off of the TV she opened the door. She grunted in shock as she felt someone push her up against the wall and cover her mouth. She heard her door lock. "Don't shout, I'm not going to hurt you." A female voice said.  
  
"What?" the girl mumbled behind the hand that covered her mouth.  
  
"Don't worry, we just want exit by your window." Dinah said.  
  
"Dinah?"  
  
Helena turned her head and recognized the girl "Gabby?"  
  
"Gabby?" Dinah asked and turned on the light.  
  
"Uh, what's going on?" Gabby asked.  
  
"I didn't recognize your building." Dianh said.  
  
Helena released the blond girl and turned off the light again. "We can't explain it now, but we need your help. Could you hide us?"  
  
"My parent's aren't here but this apartment is small... "  
  
"She's right, it's cramped." Dinah looked at Helena.  
  
"Will someone tell me what is going on? Dinah?" Gabby asked again.  
  
Helena looked around. She walked toward the window. The street was full of cops. Gabby stood up next to her and looked down too.  
  
"You two screwed up something big, eh?" Gabby said surprised.  
  
Helena sighed and went to the door. "Sorry, we can't explain to you now, we need to go."  
  
"Wait!!! I have an idea. Follow me" Gabby began to undress "Take off your clothes Helena."  
  
"I'm sorry, what?" Helena demanded, eyes wide. She shot a look over to Dinah who just shrugged. "I'm trying to help you, okay? Take off your clothes." Gabby walked in her room.  
  
"Like I haven't heard that one before," Helena snorted as she began to remove her coat. She glanced again at Dinah and then followed Gabby down the hall.   
  
* * *  
  
The police knocked on the doors and checked all the apartments in that building. They went to Gabby's abode. One of the officers knocked on the door. He heard a young voice inside.  
  
"Open the door!" the policeman shouted.  
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming" Gabby said from inside. She opened the door and a policeman faced her. "This had better be important. I was kind of in the middle of something.," she said, throwing off as much attitude as she could muster. "Sorry, we are looking for two women: white, one blond and other one has short dark hair. Both maybe five foot four?" He told her the description with his eyes on the wall, trying desperately not to look at the sheer gown she was wearing. "We need to check your apartment please."  
  
"Okay, come in." she said crossing her arms and sitting on the coach. "Go on, and look but I hope you go fast; you interrupted us." A policeman went to the kitchen and the other one opened the closets. The leader of the team looked at the third door in the hallway; the only one that was closed. "May I?" he asked.  
  
Gabby stood up and walked to the door, she opened the door and walked in. The policeman was shocked, only the night table light was on but what he saw was an eyeful. The sheets on the bed were a soft white but they were nothing compared to the exquisite long leg that was emerging from underneath them. He could just barely make out both the curve of a woman's breast and buttocks. He gasped when he saw a beautiful girl with brown curled hair sleeping on the mattress.  
  
"Who is it?" the woman in the bed asked, her voice raspy with sleep.  
  
"Don't worry honey." Gabby went to the bed and kissed the lips of the young woman. She drew the red blanket up over her, covering her breast. "Just officers keeping us safe."  
  
"Sorry... madam..." the policeman said awkwardly. He stumbled backwards, exiting the room clumsily. "Happy now?" Gabby asked.  
  
"Excuse us ma'am. Our apologies for the interruption," the police man said and he called his men. He apologized again, his face bright red.  
  
"No problem."  
  
"Have fun." He winked, seeming to have decided that he was now more amused than embarrassed.  
  
"We are having it." Gabby smirked.  
  
As soon as they left she locked the door and ran to her room.  
  
"They're gone," Gabby said.  
  
Helena took off the wig on her head. "Well that was entertaining." She offered Gabby a large smile. "Thank you."  
  
"No problem."   
  
Dinah slid out from under the bed. "That was really close." She looked at Helena. "And you kept moving. Did you have to keep tossing and turning like that?" "Thought you should enjoy the show too." Helena quipped. She brought the blanket up over her bare chest and looked around for her clothes. "We should go, we've already put you too much into the line of fire." "She is right." Dinah said. "You could get into some real big trouble for this."  
  
"Then tell me what is going on? I deserve that at least." Gabby asked. "Helena what happened to you?"  
  
"Some one confused us with criminals and sent all the police after us." Helena lied as she pulled on her pants. "Barbara is trying to fix it up right now. It's a real long story though." "You should stay here then until it all blows over," Gabby insisted. "Thanks Gabby, but we don't have time." Dinah said helping, offering Helena her short."But we will be okay."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Dinah smiled and hugged her. "Yes, thanks."  
  
* * *  
  
"You never told me that your friend was lesbian!" Helena and Dinah were behind a trash container in an alley near Dark House Bar.  
  
Dinah laughed "You never asked me."  
  
"But she saw me naked!"  
  
"Helena please! Many people had seen you naked!"  
  
"That's not true!"  
  
"Oh really? I've seen that pic Barbara has in her desk of you. It's...cute." Helena glared to her "Dinah, that's a very long story."  
  
"I can't believe you're so shy and frankly, I don't buy that you've never tried kissing a girl."  
  
"No comment," she muttered.  
  
"So you are just shy then?" Dinah teased.  
  
Helena blushed and moved nervously. "Well, I'm... is that bad?"  
  
"Helena Kyle shy?" Dinah laughed.  
  
"Is that bad?" Helena repeated, getting irritated.  
  
"No, I mean not at all. It just doesn't...well it's not you. You're not shy." She shook her head. "Anyways, we should get going." 


	15. Gibson

It had been a long and crazy night at No Man's Land. Gibson yawned and took out his keys to lock the front door. Suddenly two strong hands pushed him inside the bar again; he was going to scream but a hand covered his mouth and he heard the door close behind him. He tried to hit his attacker but a hand stopped his fit.  
  
"If you actually connect with me, I'll make it so you eat from a straw," a female voice promised.  
  
"Helena? What are you doing here?" He asked in shock. Then he smacked himself. Annoyed that he hadn't realized instantly that it was her. Her scent was fairly unmistakable. Dinah took his keys and locked the door.  
  
"Barbara had been asking around for you and Dinah," he informed them.  
  
"I know," she whispered. "We need to talk."  
  
"Let's go to the bar," Gibson said, gesturing with his hand.  
  
They walked in the elevator and went down. They sat down at a table next to the bar. Helena and Dinah explained everything to him which left him staring at them with a look of shocked surprise.  
  
"I need a drink," he muttered. "Want some?" He shook his head. "You're Helena, of course you do."  
  
Dinah was going answer but Helena replied for her. "Coke for her, I'll take vodka neat." The blond girl glared at her. "Sorry kid, you are under age..." Helena smiled.  
  
"So," Gibson started, leaning over the bar. "Tell me how I can help. Barbara has been looking everywhere for you two. I hear she even put an APB out on you. Here might not be the best place to hide."  
  
"We know," Helena noted. "Does she trust you? Does she think you're with her?"  
  
He shrugged. "I think so."  
  
"We need to get back to the Clocktower. We have to regain control." Dinah exclaimed. "Problem is that we have the entire GCPD behind us. We have to get that chip out of Oracle.  
  
"The device is screwing with her head." Helena said as she nodded. "If we don't get it out in time, it'll kill her."  
  
Gibson gave handed Helena the two glasses. He poured himself a shot of Tequila, which he downed instantly. He poured himself another. "This sounds bad." He moved his head. "Barbara is a cybernetic genius."  
  
"We know, but we need stop him." Helena swirled the liquid in her glass. "He is using his weird devices to drive the whole city bat-shit crazy." She shook her head in despair. "Barbara would kill us if he ordered her to."  
  
"That's not good," Gibson muttered, knocking back the shot.  
  
"What has Barbara told you?" Helena asked, eyes narrowing dangerously.  
  
"That you two are out of control because Mad Hatter had installed a device in your heads. The police radio is broadcasting that you two are wanted fugitives and that you are to be considered armed and dangerous."  
  
"Great!" Helena sighed.  
  
"What if you cut the power?" Gibson asked.  
  
"You mean to the Clocktower?" Helena shook her head in the negative. "It has a backup generator that would kick in almost immediately."  
  
"Well, where you guys hiding out?" he asked, pouring himself another shot.  
  
"Hiding..."  
  
"But where? She had been looking for you everywhere."  
  
"I can't tell you... trust me, it's for the best. I don't know what to do." Helena took her glass and was going to drink when Dinah grabbed her hand. She noticed her eyes were glassy.  
  
"Don't..." the blond girl mumbled feeling dizzy. She almost fell to the floor but Helena held her on to her, keeping her up. She turned on Gibson with fury in her face.  
  
"What did you put in her drink?" she hissed, eyes growing feral.  
  
"Sorry Huntress." Gibson took out a pistol and pointed it at her. "Don't move." Gibson smiled and stood up, picking up the phone with his empty hand.  
  
Huntress helped Dinah into the sitting position, leaning her back against a chair.  
  
"Oracle? I have them. Yeah...yeah, Helena looks fine. She'll be here waiting for you. Dinah too."  
  
"Son of..." Huntress growled, taking a step towards him. He lifted the gun and waved it at her, discouraging her approach.  
  
Gibson hung the phone "Why don't sat and drink your beer while we continue talking and we wait for Oracle?"  
  
"What did you give to her?" Huntress asked again noticing how vacant Dinah looked.  
  
"The same thing that you're going to drink," Gibson said, He gestured at her with the gun. "Drink."  
  
Helena looked down at the glass of vodka. "Kiss my ass. What is this? What kind of drug is this?"  
  
"Nevermind that. You know, Barbara figured you'd show up here two days ago. You certainly took your time. Now drink."  
  
"Gibson..."  
  
"I said to drink," he yelled at her, his finger scratching across the trigger.  
  
"Not until I know what this is. I don't put weird things into me," She lifted up the glass again.  
  
"Something to keep you quiet. She wants you and Dinah back with her."  
  
"So she can put another one of those weird chips in our brains. Gibson, don't you see? You're being mind-fucked!"  
  
"That's not your problem," he told her. "Drink."  
  
"And if I don't?" Helena glared to him.  
  
"Then I guess you'll find a new hole between your eyes now won't you?" he snapped back, still waving the gun.  
  
Helena took a deep breath brought the glass to her lips. The small of Vodka rushed up towards her nostrils and normally it would have been a welcome smell but right now the uncertainty of the drug mixed with it was terrifying.  
  
Gibson was about to yell at her again when he felt something hit him in the arm. His hand jerked forward and the gun dropped out of his palm. He looked up in surprise to see Dinah staring at him from across the room. Even drugged she had managed to knock him down.  
  
Helena didn't hesitate to use the opening to her advantage. She tossed the glass to the ground, shattering it and it's contents.  
  
She jumped across at Gibson, knocking over a table behind her. With a hard cross to the face she knocked him on his ass. One more punch to the jaw and he was out. She dropped to her knees and began to probe behind his head. Her fingers stopped when they grazed the bump of a chip. She sighed and then glanced over at Dinah.  
  
"Thanks Dinah." Helena said. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I would feel better... if you would...let me drink...vodka like you," she quipped, still looking very unsteady.  
  
"I promise, next time," she assured her friend. She spun when she heard the sound of the elevator; it was moving up in the shaft. "Damn! They are here." She went to her friend and put Dinah's arm over her shoulder. "Come on Dinah, I need you awake."  
  
"I can't..." the blond mumbled dropping back. Her eyes rolled back and she was out.  
  
"No Dinah, not now!" Helena tried unsuccessfully to wake her. She heard the back door open. Three men walked in and started towards her. Huntress dropped Dinah back to the chair and began to fight against them. The elevator opened and four more men rushed towards her. She them threw a table against them. One of the men hit her over the back with what felt like a baseball bat. She stumbled but regained herself quickly. She turned and kicked him. She jumped and rolled in the air, dropping back to deliver a vicious kick to one of the guys' chest.  
  
Helena saw two of the henchmen loading the unconscious Dinah. "No!" she yelled and kicked two of the guys out of her way but three more blocked her way with knives. The men moved Dinah inside the elevator. Huntress was angry, very angry and moved as fast as she could to knock them down. She tried to stop the elevator from starting up but was far too late.  
  
She ran inmediately to the back door but still two more blocked her way. She charged against them and took them both out. As soon as she was outside, she ran to the front door but a patrol car blocked her way. She stepped back and ran to the opposite side but two more cars flipped on their lights and started towards her.  
  
* * *  
  
"Got them," Barbara announced. "I knew they'd go to No Man's Land."  
  
"What are you going to do?"  
  
"We have her trapped...there's no way out."  
  
* * *  
  
"Great!" Huntress grumbled looking around. She was standing directly in the middle of several policemen. Oracle was obviously responsible for the ambush. She jumped over the ladder and climbed up to an emergency stairway that lead up towards the rooftop. When she was up she looked down. The street was full of patrol cars. She looked down at Breaker Avenue and saw a van crossing between the squad cars. *Dinah* she thought and began to follow the van jumping between the rooftops.  
  
She heard a chooper and looked up. "Oh great," she muttered. "Oh no this isn't overkill or anything." She cringed in pain as her ribs reminded her of how injured she really was. A bright light covered her.  
  
"Freeze or we will open fire," a voice ordered from the chopper.  
  
She ran to the next building and jumped. As soon as she landed she herd several shots crashing near her. She rolled and ducked her head behind a wall.  
  
"Shit..." she growled as the light from the chopped overwhelmed her again, momentarily blinding her.  
  
* * *  
  
"We have video!" Oracle called out. "I hacked into the camera from the police chopper." She pointed to a grainy shot of Helena hunched behind a wall.  
  
Mad Hatter looked it too. "Trap her!"  
  
"Don't worry, she's run out of places to hide," Barbara assured him. "We got her."  
  
* * *  
  
She tumbled to the ground and spun behind a brick wall, just barely avoiding being clipped by a spray of bullets. She growled at the bright light of the chopper that was circling above her. They had made it so that even the rooftops weren't safe for her. Looking to her left she spotted a long iron length of pipe. She picked it up and hurled it at the chopper's spotlight, shattering it into about a thousand tiny glass shards.   
  
* * *  
  
"What's going on?" Mad hatter asked when he saw the screen turning black.  
  
"Don't worry, the choopers have night vision." Oracle said as a black and white image appeared on the screen. It cleared up enough for them to be able to see Huntress huddled behind some kind of wall.  
  
* * *  
  
* * *  
  
It was raining again.  
  
Helena moved to the side of the building, knowing that she needed to find a way down. She carried a smaller piece of pipe in her right hand. She heard several loud shouts and then the sounds of boots hitting gravel.  
  
She sighed when she realized what was going on; four men with rifles had landed on the roof. They moved around the rooftop and pointed at the place where she was. A tear gas canister landed a few feet from her, already spilling it's noxious contents.  
  
It was definitely time to go.  
  
She ran and jumped, hoping to clear the distance to the next building. It was child's' play really. Usually anyways. To her astonishment she felt something crack against her back. Her equilibrium momentarily shot she felt herself tumbling. She knew immediately that she was in trouble. As she fell between the two buildings she reached out for whatever she could grab on to. At the last moment her hand cracked against a fire escape ladder. She swung herself over the bar and on to the platform just as a shot danced over her feet. "Damn Oracle" Huntress growled as she entered a window. She rolled in to an empty room. She looked around, eyes wide. There were snippers everywere, She was pinned  
  
A shot crashed next her head and a wedge of the cement wall came loose and cracked against her head. "Damn!" she grunted. She could still hear the chopper circling around overhead. A few seconds later two men in full SWAT gear entered the room, rifles drawn. She looked to her left and ran. She jumped and landed on the emergency stairway of the next building. She broke a window with her elbow and rolled in.  
  
* * *  
  
At the Clocktower, Oracle followed all the activity. "The police are acting like they're on shoot to kill orders with Helena," she noted. "Something is wrong." "I changed the files that you sent to the police. She is dangerous; neither you nor I can control her." Mad Hatter said. "Not like this anyways. This was we can guarantee that we'll either get her back or she'll be no trouble to us. It's a win-win." "What?" Barbara demanded, her brow creasing.  
  
"She is dangerous, they're just protecting all of the poor citizens of New Gotham," Hatter insisted. "Normally I would say that she could stay hidden all night but I think they have her surrounded. They have a five block radius cut off."  
  
"Then I guess it's in her best interest to surrender before she's killed."  
  
Oracle sighed. She placed a hand flat against her forehead. "I need more aspirin."  
  
* * *  
  
Huntress walked into an empty lobby. Her senses were buzzing. She knew she was surrounded which meant trying to go back out to attempt to escape was just a worthless idea. She looked around for the door that would lead to the basement. When she finally found it she was dismayed to discover that it was locked.  
  
"Just have to break it then," she muttered to herself. "Don't move!" a voice said from behind her.  
  
She turned her head and a white light blinded her; she covered her eyes with her hand. She could heard the sound of a gun being cocked. She tried to get a better look but all she could see was shadows. She wanted to react but she didn't dare if she didn't know what she was going up against.  
  
"Down on the ground lady," the cop yelled at her. "We have orders to shoot to kill if necessary." The police officer grabbed at his radio. "I got her, old building on Madison Street."  
  
"Down on the floor. Put your hands behind your head and spread your legs," a second voice ordered.  
  
Huntress dropped to her knees and obeyed. Her mind whirled as she tried to think of how to escape. She felt the cop snap cuffs around her wrists. 


	16. Dark night

"Down on the ground lady," the cop yelled at her. "We have orders to shoot to kill if necessary." The police officer grabbed at his radio. "I got her, old building on Madison Street."  
  
"Down on the floor. Put your hands behind your head and spread your legs," a second voice ordered.  
  
Huntress dropped to her knees and obeyed. Her mind whirled as she tried to think of how to escape. She felt the cop snap cuffs around her wrists.  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
Huntress heard a familiar voice. She tried to raise her head but she felt a rifle pressing up against her back. "Don't move," the officer ordered, leaving her no doubt that he had an itchy trigger finger. "It's okay, it's okay, let me talk to her." the new man said as he walked towards her. He knelt down next to her and began to examine the back of her head.   
  
"Reese?" she asked, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Trying to be sure..." he took her by the arm and helped her to stand up. "Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yes but..."  
  
He took her to a corner "What the hell is going on? I get back from the gym and suddenly I'm being told that every squad car in the department is out on the street looking for you and Dinah."  
  
"Help me get out of here and I promise I'll explain everything," she urged, eyes darting every which way.  
  
"I can't. You have the entire damn GCPD outside this building right now. Oracle told me that some guy named Mad Hatter had put some kind of weird mind control device into you and Dinah. The next thing I know everyone is after you two. But I don't get it, you don't have a chip in your head."  
  
"She is lying. She tried to put one of those things in me but I guess I rejected it. Alfred and Dinah helped me. Look Reese, Dinah erased many of her files. She's pissed off. I'm in real danger right now. If you turn me over to the police I'm done. As in seriously screwed. Hatter is the one behind all of the computer store robberies. He's trying to take over the entire town. He's the one behind the weird police reports on me and Dinah."  
  
"What?" Rese was confused.  
  
"Please Reese, help me. You know me," Helena pleaded "The man that was installing devices inside people to commit his robberies in some weird way or another is now in control of Oracle. He put one of those things in her and now he has both her and the Clocktower. That criminal has acces to the security system of the entire city. He has Dinah now. I have to get in there and get them out and stop him. Please, I need your help."  
  
"Okay, just don't do anything stupid, okay?" He looked her in the eyes and taking off his pistol he put it in her back and pushed her outside. "I'll take her to the shop", he said to the police officers there.  
  
They walked outside the building. Two big men stood up in front of him.  
  
"Good work. Give us the girl." One of them told to him.  
  
"Excuse me?" Reese looked at them. "This is GCPD business."  
  
"We are in charge now," one of the men said, trying to look imposing.  
  
Huntress recognized one of them. "Reese, those are Hatters' boys," she whispered to him.  
  
"Excuse me, who are you?" Reese asked. "FBI, Detective," the taller of the two men replied.  
  
"FBI my ass," Huntress mumbled. "You shut up!" Reese shouted to her pressing the gun into her back. Helena glared to him. "I'll take her in first. If the Captain approves it, then you can have her."  
  
"Sorry but that's not how we do business," the smaller man said as he started to move towards them.  
  
Reese pushed Helena behind him. "That's not going to happen. I don't care if you're the damn Secret Service. We do things my way in my city. You can wait until she's processed."  
  
"Bosses aren't gonna like this Detective," the taller man whined.  
  
"Yeah well, that's too bad," Reese muttered as he pushed Helena into his car.  
  
* * *  
  
"What is that damn police officer doing?" Mad Hatter asked.  
  
"That's Jesse Reese," Barbara explained. "He's Helena's boyfriend. He's probably trying to protect her."  
  
"But you told him that she..."  
  
"Yes." She dialed a phone number. "Give me a moment."  
  
* * *  
  
"You're kind of an ass when you want to be aren't you?" Helena grunted as she cracked her back. "Did you have to shove that gun quite so hard into my back?"  
  
"I'm trying to save you," he protested. "I need to get to the Clocktower."  
  
Reese heard his phone ring. He looked down at the caller ID. "Well this might be your ticket in." He picked up the phone. "Oracle? Yeah, I got her. I'm bring in her in. Right, right. To get the chip out. Yep, we're on our way."  
  
He hung up the phone and looked hard at Helena. "You'd better have a plan."  
  
She grunted. "Something like that."  
  
* * * Oracle was in her bathroom, her head resting between her crossed arms. The pain in her back was killing her; she opened another pill bottle. She poured several into her hand and tossed them into her mouth. She chased it with water. She was sweating. She placed a hand on her back. Everything was spinning. She felt sick.  
  
So incredibly sick.  
  
"Oracle, Dinah is here." Polly said as she entered the bathroom.  
  
Oracle turned her wheelchair "I'll be there in just a moment." "Reese is here."  
  
"Let him in through the garage but watch him carefully," Oracle instructed. "I'm not sure we should trust him just yet."  
  
* * *  
  
The garage door opened. Reese drove his sedan in and parked it next to Barbara's oversized Hummer. He glanced to the back-seat and saw that Helena was lounged across it, a hand lazily covering her eyes from the light.  
  
"Do you see his men?" she drawled, still not looking up to see for herself. He smirked at her.  
  
Shaking his head he said, "Do me a favor huh? And I know it's going to be hard but I think you can manage just this once."  
  
"Reese," she warned, not unkindly.  
  
He chose to ignore her. "I need you to shut your mouth and I need you to stay completely still. There are cameras everywhere." "Someone's having their time of month," Helena grumbled. His eyebrow shot straight up into his hairline. He considered actually getting into a verbal tit-for-tat with her but then thought better of it. Finally, with a resigned sigh he shot back, "Helena, shut up."  
  
* * *  
  
Oracle frowned as she examined the video from the garage. She could see that Huntress was lying flat on her back in the back of Reese's sedan. Turning to her switchboard she dialed his cell.  
  
"Reese," she demanded. "What's going on?"  
  
Why?  
  
"Huntress..."  
  
She's out. I knocked her out. It was the only way to get her here. You know how stubborn she can be. And she wouldn't shut up. "Okay fine. Bring her up then. We'll be up here waiting for you."  
  
Okay  
  
Oracle disconnected the call and then looked over at Polly. "I need two more of the chips." "On it," the woman replied, breaking away.  
  
Oracle just flinched, another wave of pain overcoming her.   
  
* * *  
  
Reese picked Helena up and tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman's' carry. He stepped into the elevator and started to look around. The elevator door snapped closed behind them. Helena raised her head.  
  
"Relax, there aren't any camera in this elevator. The one we had got broken a few weeks ago." She paused and winked. "Accident."  
  
"Uh huh," Reese muttered, putting her down. He made a face when she winced in pain. She waved him off. She was about to turn away when he caught her arm and spun her towards him, his lips on hers before she could even form a word.  
  
Her initial shock passed quickly and she wrapped her arms around his neck, yanking him closer and kissing back with equal intensity. She felt his hands against her cheeks and pressed for further contact. He moved her against the far wall of the elevator and continued the passionate embrace.  
  
She finally broke the kiss several moments later, gasping desperately for air. Her eyes dancing mischievously she grinned at him. "Okay, okay, I forgive you." She paused. "Ever shove a gun in my back again and..."  
  
He held up a hand and laughed. "You don't need to finish that."  
  
"I didn't think so," she smirked, eyes still locked on him.  
  
"Okay." Reese smiled. "So then, what's the plan?"  
  
"The plan is that we don't have a plan."  
  
"I was afraid that you were going to say that. Do I need to remind you that going into a fight without a plan is a really bad idea."  
  
She dismissed his worries with a flick of her hand. "Look, he had six thugs that I could see. That includes those two FBI wannabes. Then there's also Hatter, Barbara, Polly and Dinah. We have to assume that Dinah is also compromised at this point." She paused. "We just have to hope that we get to them on time."  
  
"On time?"  
  
"Can't say as I'm really looking forward to going rounds with Barbara and Dinah. She's a hell of a fighter and Dinah really likes tossing me around. You know, sibling rivalry and all that. She wants the bigger room."  
  
Reese snorted, somehow not doubting her. He pressed the elevator button to the upper level.  
  



	17. Oracle and Huntress

Dinah felt the cold of the iron collar around her throat. She still felt dazed and hazy thanks to the drug that Gibson had slipped into her drink. She tried to move but quickly found that she had no latitude available to her due to the fact that she was tied down to a metal slab on her belly.  
  
"They're on their way up," Oracle said to Mad Hatter, her eyes scanning the monitors. It annoyed to her no end that she couldn't see inside the elevator car that Reese and Helena thanks to a little accident that Huntress had had with the camera a few weeks earlier. He snapped his fingers and the two henchmen and Polly stood up in front of the elevator.  
  
The door opened.  
  
"She escaped!" Polly shouted.  
  
Oracle and Mad Hatter looked into the elevator. Reese was lying unconscious on the hard metal floor of the car.   
  
Oracle snapped around and slapped her hand against a red knob on her switchboard. Immediately loud blaring alarms started going off. She turned her chair and started towards the lab. "Dinah," she muttered.  
  
One of Hatter's men stepped into the elevator car and looked upwards. He could see that the ceiling was cracked. He turned towards his companion, "She must have gone..."  
  
Before he could get the next word out of his mouth the rest of the ceiling crumbled forward and Huntress jumped down. She struck out with her left foot and cracked the one who had been talking in the jaw. Reese jumped to his feet and punched the other goon. Both of them dropped like rocks. Reese turned to Helena and tilted his head. "Not bad."  
  
"I'm impressed," she grinned. She reached down and started to disarm the two thugs, unloading their guns. "Look alive though, more will be on their way and I won't be at your back."  
  
"I think I can handle myself," Reese replied, shaking his head. "Don't always need my girl to cover my ass."  
  
"Uh huh," she laughed. "Give me your belt."  
  
"Should I ask?'  
  
"Reese, your belt," she said with a laugh. "And they say I'm the bad one." She took the offered accessory from Reese and tied it around the hands of both of the thugs, wrapping them together in a hug she was positive that they wouldn't be too happy about. She stood up and started to move. "Keep them away from me, okay?"  
  
"Got it," he replied, pulling his gun. "You going to be okay?"  
  
"Sure, go," Helena nodded. He reached out and squeezed her hand. She returned the affection and then broke away. He moved out of the elevator and went directly towards two of the henchmen who were both barreling towards him at full speed.  
  
"On me girly," Polly hissed out at her as she charged against Huntress. Helena groaned and stuck her foot out, easily knocking Polly down. She watched as Reese fled towards the lower floor, the two thugs in tow.  
  
Huntress looked at Mad Hatter. "This is over."  
  
"Glad you're here. We have a lot to discuss." Oracle said, turning her chair to face Helena. She was holding her fighting sticks in her hands. "But first, I need to teach you a lesson." "Kill that annoying girl!" Mad Hatter shouted.  
  
Barbara stood up; she had the transponder on her back.  
  
Huntress shook her head. "Barbara, that thing hurts you! The device in your head is killing you!"  
  
Barbara took out her escrima sticks and walked toward Helena. She threw the first punch, one which Helena easily blocked. Huntress struck out with her foot, attempting to trip her mentor. Barbara wisely moved back and, turning on her, she kicked Huntress hard in the gut making her crash against the computer table. There was a spray of glass as one of the monitors crashed to the floor and shattered. Oracle jumped over her, breaking the table. They both fell to the floor and rolled until Huntress pushed her back with her feet.  
  
"Oracle..." Huntress stood up quickly and turned to see her mentor who was ready to attack again. "I don't want hurt you... let me help you."   
  
"You screwed it all up!" Oracle shouted. "You are making this more difficult than it has to be. As usual." Oracle tried to hit her with the stick but Huntress jumped back. Oracle was agile and moved just as fast. Huntress kept jumping back to avoid having to trade blows with her her mentor. Mad Hatter watched the two women fight. Polly was out cold. Oracle was his last chance.  
  
Huntress grabbed Oracle's wrist over her head. "Oracle stop this!"  
  
Oracle pushed her back. Dinah slowly recovered her senses. She turned her head. Huntress and Oracle fought near her; her mentor hit Huntress hard under her ribs. The brunette knew she could beat Oracle but she was afraid to hurt her. That prevented her from being able to fight back in the manner that she knew she should. Dinah closes her eyes and focused her hands. She smiled in relief when the escrima sticks flew out of Oracle's hands. Oracle turned to her angrily and turned the table with Dinah on it over. "Stay out of this!" she shouted.  
  
Huntress held her by her back and Oracle moved like a wild animal trying to free herself.  
  
Dinah struggled to get loose, now she couldn't help, she couldn't see what was happening. She tried to yank away her binds.  
  
Oracle pushed Huntress until she got to the clock face and hit her back against it hard, Huntress released her feeling a sharp flash of pain rip through her wounded side. Oracle took her by her lapel and slammed her head against the face. Lifting her knee up, she kicked Helena hard in the ribs knowing full well that it would hurt her opponent. The brunette moaned and fell to the ground stunned. Oracle picked up Huntress, holding her again; and threw her against the glass of the clock. The crystal broke. Huntress rolled over the ground to avoid getting cut to ribbons by the shattered glass. "Sorry Huntress," Oracle said walking out. "I'll ask you to surrender now."  
  
"Curious, I was going to ask you to do the same," the brunette said standing up, her hand against her side.  
  
Oracle grimaced suddenly, her hand going to the back of her head. A loud buzzing noise echoes through her skull, throwing off her balance.  
  
"Oracle, that device is hurting you, it will kill you. Let me help you, let me take it out. Please."  
  
Oracle looked at her, her face growing angry. She tensed her body and charged towards Helena. They began to fight again. Huntress punched her and kicked her. Oracle moved back and attacked her. She instinctively used her feet to push her and sent Oracle over the edge of the balcony.  
  
Huntress realized what she had done and and ran toward it. "Barbara!" she screamed, her voice filled with panic.  
  
She sighed with relief when saw her mentor holding of the border of the cornice of the window on the floor below. Huntress rested her stomach over the edge and extended her hand.  
  
"Give me your hand," she said.  
  
"You know I'll kill you," Oracle replied, water dripping down her face. The storm was getting worse by the moment.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure you will," Helena agreed. "Give me your hand anyways okay?" Huntress cried out as she felt a flash of red hot pain erupt from her shoulder. She spun around to see Mad Hatter was standing behind her. He was holding a large bloody shard of glass in his hand. She slapped at him, knocking him away.  
  
"You screwed it all up, bitch!" Mad Hatter shouted.  
  
Huntress put a hand to her back, feeling the hot slick blood against her fingers. "You really are one sick bastard!" She kicked him and punched him twice. She pushed him against the wall, her eyes dilating. "Damn dwarf! You are going to pay for this!"  
  
"Huntress!" she heard Barbara's voice. Huntress turned her head and then glared at Mad Hatter again.  
  
He smiled. "She is lost."  
  
"No, you are lost." Huntress hit him hard knocking him unconscious. She ran to the border. Huntress took Barbara's hand, but unexpectedly, Oracle pulled her down. Huntress fell on the surface below with a hard thud and grunted. She rolled to her side. Barbara climbed down quickly and pushed her hard against the wet ground. She twisted Helena's arm back and put her foot over the smaller woman's bloody wound. Her used her foot to keep Helena from moving.  
  
"Huntress when you will learn to listen me?" Barbara asked, jamming her foot into Helena's back.  
  
"Damn Barbara you are hurting me!"  
  
"That's the idea," she smirked, pushing the toe of her shoe into now gaping wound in Helena's shoulder. The girl cried. Barbara was about to press harder when a jolt of pain rushed up through her body, lighting her up. She screamed in agony and dropped to her knees.  
  
Helena jerked to her feet and stood above her mentor, looking scared. "Barbara it's that device, it's hurting you... please let me help you." She went to her and took her shoulder. "Let's go inside."  
  
Barbara suddenly stood up and pushed her back. Huntress stumbled against the cornice and fell down, she barely caught hold of one of the ledges under the cornice with her hands. It was slippery because of the rain and she could barely keep her grip without falling. She was holding herself up with just her fingers and her back and ribs hurt like hell.  
  
Barbara felt dizzy, she went to where Huntress was hanging. The girl tried to climb up grabbing the cornice with her hand; Barbara smiled and stepped on her fingers. Huntress growled and moved her arm back.  
  
"Barbara stop this!" she yelled. Barbara shook her head in disdain. "Why do you always have to complicate everything?"  
  
"Maybe because I'm as stubborn as you..." she tried to climb up again but Barbara stepped on her again. Huntress slipped back and held on desperately to the ledge. She looked down, she couldn't survive a fall so high, more than 100 floors. She forced her fingers into cracks on the wall, using them for balance.  
  
"Looks like the infamous Huntress is in trouble now," Barbara smirked. 


	18. Nightmare over

Barbara smiled and stepped on her fingers. Huntress growled and moved her arm back.  
  
"Barbara stop this!" she yelled. Barbara shook her head in disdain. "Why do you always have to complicate everything?"  
  
"Maybe because I'm as stubborn as you..." she tried to climb up again but Barbara stepped on her again. Huntress slipped back and held on desperately to the ledge. She looked down, she couldn't survive a fall so high, more than 100 floors. She forced her fingers into cracks on the wall, using them for balance.  
  
"Looks like the infamous Huntress is in trouble now," Barbara smirked.  
  
Huntress noticed that something was wrong with Barbara. The redhead staggered back away from her, the buzzing in her head growing to a deafening level. Everything in front of her turned hazy and then went black altogether. Her eyes rolled back and she tumbled over the edge.  
  
"Barbara," Helena screamed. She reached out for Barbara's hand and just did manage to snag it, stopping her mentor from completing the mortal fall. She cried out, feeling her arm breaking in two. Now she was hanging on with one hand to the wall and the other one holding Barbara. The pain was damning and intense. She moaned softly.  
  
Huntress gritted her teeth. Barbara was heavy and her hand on the wall was hardly a steady thing. Huntress tried to lift Barbara but it was difficult, her hands were wet because of the rain and Barbara was slipping out of her hand. Not to mention the fact that her arm was shattered and only the strength of her will alone was keeping Barbara from tumbling.  
  
"Barbara wake up!" she shouted and growled. Her mentor's dead weight was pulling her down; and her shoulder and arm weren't helping "Barbara wake up, please!" Huntress begged. "I can't hold you!"  
  
"Helena!"  
  
Helena lifted her head. Dinah was up above her, the rain drenching her. Somehow or another she'd finally gotten herself free. "Help me!" she shouted "I can't hold on any longer!"  
  
Dinah kneeled and crawled on the ledge until she reached Helena. Helena felt her fingers slip. "Dinah!" she screamed, sliding a few inches. Water splattered against her face, momentarily blinding her. Dinah caught her arm a half second before Helena's grip completely slipped away. Helena cried out feeling her hurt arm stretch; but she didn't release Barbara. Dinah tried to move her up but they were too heavy for her.  
  
"I'm losing Barbara, she is slipping out of my hand..." Helena clenched her teeth. "I can't hold her any more." She shook her head. "God, please no..."  
  
Dinah looked down. Without releasing Helena, she tried to grab Barbara "She's too far from me, try to lift her up."  
  
"My arm isn't strong enough..." Helena looked at Barbara in anguish. "I think it's broken."  
  
"You are bleeding" she said realizing that Helena shoulder was injured.  
  
"Just hold her please."  
  
"Could you hold your own weight if I release you?" Dinah asked.  
  
"Just hold her!" Helena growled.  
  
"I can't let you fall!"  
  
"Dinah! Hold Barbara!"  
  
Dinah closed her eyes and extended her hand. Helena suddenly felt that the pressure on her shoulder had decreased. And she saw Barbara moving up. Suddenly, she felt herself moving up too. Dinah began to crawl back slowly.  
  
"It's working!" Helena said. Dinah lost her concentration and the brunette slipped down. Helena tried to hold her hand somewhat unsucesfully. Dinah almost jumped and grabbed her arm to prevent her from falling. Both sighed with relief.  
  
"Don't talk while I'm working." Dinah grinned, relief washing over her.  
  
"Could you please hurry?" Helena asked. "I'm tired..."  
  
Dinah nodded and closed her eyes again. She began to move her again up. Helena suddenly felt a very strong force pulling her up. She turned slightly and saw that Reese had bent over and was yanking them both up, his hands around her waist. He used the back of Barbara's shirt and pulled her onto the ledge. "That was close," Huntress stammered, bending over and clutching her hurt ribs. She had been spread out and everything had been pulled apart. She was on fire.  
  
Dinah dropped down next to her, exhausted. "Wow," she said. "Wow." "What happened to you?" Reese asked noticing the blood seeping down Helena's back. He slid his arms around her and pulled her into the sitting position, frowning when she cried out. She closed her eyes and pooled her strength together, irritated by her show of weakness.  
  
"Mad Hatter... Forget it now, we need get that device out of Barbara's head. That thing is hurting her. I'll take her to the lab. Tie that damn dwarf and his henchmen up while I prepare everything."  
  
"But your arm..." Dinah said. "Helena, you need medical attention. It's broken..." she noted, watching the way her friend was holding her injured arm. In fact the entire left side of her body appeared to be badly injured.  
  
"I'm fine," Helena said impatiently. "We have to help Barbara now. She doesn't have much time." She shook her head. "Gibson needs assistance too." She looked at Reese and Dinah. "Guys, now."  
  
Reese shrugged and then bent over to pick up Barbara. He scooped her up in his arms and started towards the lab. Dinah stayed back a moment, her eyes scanning over Helena. A hard look from the brunette finally made her break towards where Hatter was lying, still dead out.  
  
"Good," Helena muttered and then followed after Reese.  
  
* * * *  
  
Huntress took off her coat, she was wearing a sleeveless shirt. The entire front and back it the fabric was stained bright red. A look down at her arm showed that it was already swelling and discolored. She lifted the shirt up and glanced down at her ribs. She hissed in pain and then shook her head. It would have to wait. "Helena no..." Reese said, sliding an arm around her to keep her in place.  
  
"It's not bothering me," she lied. "Don't worry about it."  
  
"You're bleeding everywhere," he insisted, eyes drifting over her. "And we need to set your arm."  
  
"There isn't time for that now," she replied shortly. "That thing in her head is killing her. She could die at any moment. So you know what, let's not worry about me."  
  
Reese knew that it was pointless to try to argue with her; her mind was made up. He backed away from her and crossed over to the far table, looking for some type of leather strap. Huntress connected the monitors to Barbara. Her pulse was weak and thready. Helena unhooked the transponder that was attached to Barbara's back and passed the scanner over her neck. She frowned as she looked at the images on the computer. Dinah entered the lab with some towels.  
  
"They're all secure in the holding cells," Dinah informed her. "They're not going anywhere. How's it going?"  
  
"She passed out because of the device, we need remove it using that weird pistol thingee." Helena explained. "Where is it?"  
  
"I'll do it," Reese offered, his eyes locking on a small silver pistol sitting on a metal tray next to one of the scanners. "Is this it?" He picked it up.  
  
"Yeah I guess so."  
  
Dinah scowled when she noticed that Helena was still bleeding heavily, drops of it splattering to the ground. "We have to get you cleaned up."  
  
"Not now dammit," Helena growled, now throughly annoyed. "So enough already, I'm fine." She crossed over to Reese and took the gun. She turned it over in her hand, examining the clip. "Dinah," she said. "Put that collar on Barbara."  
  
Dinah did as she was told, frowning as she snapped the metal collar around her mentor. It seemed so wrong and disrespectful.  
  
"Helena, let me do it," Reese urged. He put his hand over hers. "You're too unsteady right now."  
  
"I'm okay." Helena prepared the gun. "But you're right." She looked down at her hand and noticed that it was shaking. Reluctantly she gave the gun to Reese who fit it in the collar. He pressed the trigger. Barbara's body shook lightly. The trio watched the monitors in silence for several long minutes, all of them on edge.  
  
"Her pulse is improving." Dinah said taking the scanner and moving it over Barbara's head. She sat in front of the computer screen. "The device is gone. She will be okay."  
  
Helena sighed loudly, dropping down to the chair next to the bed. She closed her eyes and put her head against the wall. It had been a hell of a night. Reese bent over and removed the collar from around Barbara's neck. She turned her over so that she was on her back and placed a light blanket over her. Dinah called Alfred.  
  
Helena moved downwards putting the elbow of her good arm on her leg, she dropped her head into he hand. After all the tension, the fight and the adrenaline gone; Helena began to relax and to feel all the weight of the last hours over her shoulders "Im tired..." she mumbled. She felt Dinah's hand on her good shoulder.  
  
"Now let me help you, okay?" Dinah asked, eyes wide.  
  
"I'm okay, Dinah." Helena growled. "We need to help Gibson and the others first." "You're fine?" Dinah snapped. "Okay? Really? I guess I didn't realize soaked in blood and broken bones was fine. Have to remember that." She used the flat of her palm to force Helena down. "What happened to the bandage around your ribs?"  
  
"It bugged me," Helena replied. "Gibson. We have to help him..."  
  
"And we will but right now my concern is you. Now shut up and let me help you before I jam a needle in your ass."  
  
"Go ahead and try," Helena snorted. Then she lifted an eyebrow. "A needle?"  
  
"Sure," Dinah grinned. "Barbara always has something available to her to knock you out if you start getting too obnoxious."  
  
"I'll remember that," Helena sighed, her eyes slipping closed.  
  
Dinah bent over to examine the shoulder wound. She looked up at Reese. "It's pretty deep." "How the hell did you manage to hold on to Barbara out there? You have a broken arm, shattered ribs and a split shoulder. Christ, I'm dating Xena." Helena snorted. "You wish. And the answer? Practice. Lots of practice getting out of really bad situations." She frowned. "Most of them self- inflicted." She chuckled to herself and then cried out, the pain sliding through her. "Okay, now that hurts."  
  
Dinah heard a soft moan and turned her head; gazing at the redhead who had opened her eyes. "Barbara?"   
  
Helena looked her mentor. "Is she awake?"  
  
Barbara shook her head and looked around confused.  
  
"Barbara are you okay?" Dinah went to her. Helena tried to stand up but Reese held her down, his arms wrapped around her. He started to bind her arm down, attempting to set it.  
  
Barbara blinked and was shocked when she saw her two protegees soaked and Reese there; both girls had a terrible look about them and and Huntress was covered in blood. "What the hell...?" she sat up almost inmediately.  
  
"Long story." Dinah said touchung her elbow "How do you feel?"  
  
"Im feel a little woozy but, I'm okay other than that." She looked hard at Helena. "What the hell happened to you."  
  
"A small fight." Helena smiled feeling exhausted. "Remember the devices and robberies?" Dinah explained "A man called Mad Hatter was behind all that. He trapped you and installed one of those things in your head. "  
  
"I remember; a woman in the school asked me for help; it was a trap. They took me to a storage and..." she shook her head. "Later. Dinah, get me my chair. Come over here Hel," she ordered.  
  
"I'm fine, " the brunette muttered. She tried to stand up but found that she lacked the energy. All of the adrenaline and fight was long gone. She hissed in pain, her hand going to her side. Reese picked her up into his arms, cradling her against him.  
  
"Reese, put her on the bed," Barbara instructed. She locked eyes with Helena. "Where are you hurt and try not lying."  
  
"Where isn't she hurt?" Reese snorted.  
  
"Oh it's nothing, just a little knife wound. Lotsa blood," Helena protested as Reese laid her on the bed. "Barbara, you should be lying down."  
  
"Later, on your side..."  
  
Helena moved slowly to her side; she dropped her head against the pillow and sighed. She heard the sound of Dinah re-entering the lab, pushing Barbara's chair in front of her. Barbara slipped into it and moved over to examine Helena. She lifted her protégé's shirt and gasped in horror.  
  
"Good God Helena, how many people did you take on?" Barbara run her fingers across Helena's stomach, examining the web of bruises that surrounded her shattered ribs.  
  
"Just you..." Helena mumbled, looking away.  
  
Barbara was stunned. "What?"  
  
"I was fighting against you..." she closed her eyes, the muscles in her entire body were sore "God, I want sleep a week."  
  
"Oh God, don't move" Barbara picked up one of her med kits. She glanced over at Reese. "I need to work on her. Will you two head down and try to help out anyone who might have been affected?"  
  
"Sure..." he walked toward Helena and caressed her hair. "I'll back in a few hours. Don't go anywhere."  
  
"No worries," she drawled. "Even if I wanted to I doubt that I'd be able to. I know Barbara. I know that look." She sighed. "Besides, I'm hurt. All hurt."  
  
He chuckled lightly. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead, leaving his lips against her skin for a few seconds. "We really fought? Her and I?" Barbara asked Dinah, concern in her eyes. "I don't remember anything."  
  
"Yep," Dinah said cautiously. "You kind of threw her off the balcony."  
  
"Oh," Barbara said, eyes wide. "Yeah, oh," Helena laughed. "Short version? You're a real pain in the ass when you're a criminal. Let's not do that again, okay?"  
  
"Deal," Barbara replied, still looking shell-shocked. She bent over a counter and started rummaging through a drawer for gloves.  
  
Dinah leaned down next to Helena and whispered into her ear: "How much time to live do you think I will have when she finds out that I infected Delphi with a virus and that I deleted and stole her files?"  
  
"Less than me when she discovered that I stole the mascot of the football team." Helena whispered "Did you make a copy of all of the files?"  
  
"Of course but it's still going to take her at least three days to get it all back up and running again. Did that on purpose." "Then you're just plain dead," Helena quipped. She nodded to Reese who was leaning patiently against the wall. "You guys had better get going. Help Gibson."  
  
Dinah nodded. "Right." She started towards the door and then she turned back towards Helena. "Maybe on the way back I'll stop by Wayne Manor. That place is cool." Helena just laughed.   
  
* * * 


	19. A new day

Dinah returned the missing Delphi files to Barbara the next day. They spent most of the afternoon repairing the damaged system. While they worked, Dinah tried to fill Barbara in on all that happened while she had been under Hatter's control. She watched as Barbara's face grew more and more pale with each revelation.  
  
Shaking her head in disgust at herself, Barbara punched a button on the computer. The screen indicated that the missing files were now copying back on to the server. She dropped her head against her chair.  
  
"Barbara are you okay?" Dinah asked.  
  
"Yes," she lied, clearly disturbed by her actions. "Yes, of course."  
  
"Barbara... it wasn't your fault."  
  
"I'm okay," she said softly. "Really. It's just...frightening."  
  
"Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Yes," Barbara insisted.  
  
"So what ended up happening with Hatter?" Dinah asked, moving a stack of newspapers.  
  
"Oh, he's going to be spending a very long time in Arkham. Him and his friends. Everything else seems to be okay. Gibson and the others are recovering fully.  
  
"That's good," Dinah responded, wanting to say more.  
  
Barbara's eyes slid over the clock and she frowned. "Dinah, I thought you said that you were going to go see Gabby. Shouldn't you be going?"  
  
"Oh yeah!" she looked her watch too. She started towards the door but suddenly stopped and looked over at her mentor. "Are you sure you will be okay?"  
  
"Yes Dinah, don't worry" Barbara smiled lightly "Go, and don't be back until later. Have a good time. You earned it." She reached into her pocket and drew out a small fold of bills. She pressed them into Dinah's palm. Dinah hugged her and gave her a kiss on her cheek. The blond girl exited the room and Barbara went back to her work. Her face showed sadness. She felt guilty and taking the keyboard she started to type. She looked for the video files and searched for the ones when she had been under the spell of Mad hatter.  
  
Her eyes grew wide in horror as the previous few days events played out in front of her. She watched as the video showed her viciously beating her young protege and then allowing those thugs to do the same. She jumped every time she saw Helena take a blow to the face and she cringed every time the brunette cried out in pain. Barbara slid a hand over her ribs, instinctively feeling her young charge's pain. She dropped her head into her hands, tears flowing down her cheeks. "It wasn't your fault," Alfred said from above her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see him offering her a hanky. "It was..." she said in low voice taking the hanky and wiping the tears from her eyes. "No, it wasn't. You had no control. It was out of your hands Miss Barbara." "That's bullshit," she growled. "I'm a damn Oracle right? I'm supposed to know everything. I'm supposed to be able to stop..." "You're not a god, Miss Barbara. You can't know everything and you know it."  
  
"But I must... I'm responsible for their lives Alfred." Barbara lowered her head.  
  
"Don't take all the weight on yourself," Alfred insisted. "Miss Helena and Miss Dinah are well aware of what they're involved in. They know the risks." "Alfred...oh God...I hurt her...I hurt her so much  
  


* * *

  
"She understands that you weren't yourself."  
  
"I followed the orders of a mad man... I did awful things... I know it wasn't me but I'm sorry, that doesn't make me feel better. It was my hands that hurt her. It's impossible for me not to feel  
  


* * *

  
"Guilty?" Alfred finished. He shook his head. "Your girls are very proud of you and they both love you very much. Remember that always." He stepped away from her. "It has been a long few days and I know you are still having headaches. You should lie down." Barbara nodded and smiled lightly. "Yes of course, you're right." She reached out and took his hand, squeezing it tightly.   
  


* * *

  
Gabby was sound asleep when she heard a loud pounding on her door. Grumbling she got up and pulled it open. The irritation faded when she saw Dinah standing on the other side, holding a chocolate fudge cake in her hands.  
  
"Hey Gabby!" she said with a large smile.  
  
"Dinah!" Gabby smiled too and jumped "I was so worried about you. Come in, come in. Is everything okay?" She put an arm out to usher her friend in.  
  
Dina entered and put the cake on the table. She glanced around even though she'd been in the apartment on several occasions.  
  
"Is everything okay now?" Gabby repeated, again touching Dinah's arm. She pulled her over towards the couch.  
  
"Yes. Thank God, yes. Barbara was able to fix everything." She chuckled. "It was a really long night."  
  
"What happened?" Gabby asked, sounding like a small child about to hear a ghost story.  
  
"The police were looking for two chicks and they confused us with them. They wanted to take us in and all. You know, regular run of the mill excitement," Dinah quipped.  
  
"Wow," Gabby said with a shake of her head. "Those two must be like Thelma and Louise. The entire department was after you. I don't I've ever seen the GCPD that motivated."  
  
"Tell me about it," Dinah laughed. "In any case, everything is okay now. Barbara and Helena wanted me to bring you the cake. We're all really thankful for what you did for us."  
  
"Oh that's what friends are for."  
  
"Something like that," Dinah laughed. "But you really put yourself out there for us and we...I won't forget it. Anyways, Barbara wants to invite you to go out with us to Logan's."  
  
"That new Italian restraunt downtown?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"That'd be sweet," Gabby grinned. Then she frowned. "How's Helena? She looked hurt."  
  
"Yeah," Dinah said nodding. "She was in a car accident. Really messed her up. She's okay now. She's at home resting I think. She wanted me to say thanks too."  
  
"She's cute as hell," Gabby said with a grin. "Killer body."  
  
"And straight." Dinah raised her eyebrow. "She has a boyfriend."  
  
"Well, nobody is perfect." Gabby smirked.  
  
"She was shocked when I told her that you like girls." Dinah laughed. "You should have seen her face."  
  
Gabby laughed. "Now that would have been priceless."  
  
Dinah put an arm around her friend. "Indeed."  
  


* * *

  
It was late afternoon. Almost 5 o'clock. Barbara was outside the Clocktower; the broken glass was covered with plastic and tape. Barbara was lost in her inner thoughts rubbing her hands while she looked down at the city. Alfred was right, she wasn't at fault for all the things that she had done over the last few days but she couldn't avoid feeling bad just the same. The horror she felt at the things that she had done to Helena and Dinah consumed her. Especially Helena. The images of the young girl being beaten was playing in front of her as if she was watching it in a screen. "Hey Barbara, what are you doing?"  
  
Barbara jumped in her chair when she heard the voice. She roughly wiped the tears away from her eyes, desperate not to let Helena see. "Helena," she said. "You scared me." The girl had a sling over her shoulder and a soft cast on her arm. "I'm sorry, I called for you inside but you didn't answer me." Helena noticed her mentor was crying.  
  
"You're supposed to be resting back at your place," Barbara said, using her best scolding voice. It wasn't very effective however with all of the cracking.  
  
"I was bored..." Helena said sitting on the balcony. She cocked her head towards her mentor and narrowed her eyes. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Fine," Barbara insisted. "Just needed some fresh air." She looked away from Helena, unable to meet her eyes.  
  
Helena leaned forward and cleaned a lost tear on her cheek with her finger. "Sure, I believe you. Now tell me what's going on with you?" She moved back against the wall. Barbara sighed and looked down again. "I'm sorry Helena."  
  
"Sorry for what?"  
  
"For everything... I... I'm so sorry." Tears fell from her eyes in streams.  
  
Helena stood up and kneeled in front of her. She reached out and took her mentor's trembling hands in hers. "Hey Barbara calm down. What happened?"  
  
"I almost let him kill you." She said trying to stop the tears but failing miserably. "Barbara look at me, I'm okay, nothing happened." She lifted her wounded arm a few inches. "Everything is healing up just fine."  
  
"We got lucky," Barbara snapped, clearly angry at herself " I should have stopped him!" Barbara raised her head and looked with sadness at a fading scratch on Helena's forehead. She touched her face with her hand and caressed it with her thumb "I did this to you right?."  
  
"Barbara, you weren't yourself..." Helena felt her heart sink as she watched the torrent of raw emotion cross over Barbara's face. "How I can remember that I did this to you then?"  
  
"Barbara, it wasn't you. I can remember a few things too. He got me too. I tried to kill Dinah. It wasn't us. It was like we were behind glass watching the action. It was stronger than us." She moved forward again. "I understand what you're feeling but you have to let it go."  
  
"I'm sorry Helena." Barbara said crying.  
  
The brunette wrapped he arm around her mentor and drew her close. "Shh, it's okay. I know you. I know you. I know you'd never hurt me."  
  
Barbara started sobbing. She didn't even bother trying to choke out an answer. Helena caressed her hair. "It killed me to see what he was doing to you. I was so afraid that I wouldn't get to you in time." Helena slipped back to look at Barbara. "Hey come on, don't cry. I need you to come somewhere with me and you can't do it crying." "Come with you? Where?" "I need a haircut. It was a real pain in the ass. Kept falling in my eyes." She shrugged. "You said you'd found a new place."  
  
"Your hair?" Barbara cleaned her tears.  
  
"Yes, it's annoying," Helena said simply.  
  
"But you must be resting."  
  
"I know, and for that reason I asking you come with me." Helena sat on the edge. "You are going to drive."  
  
"I... wait a minute... how did you get here? You promised me that if I let you go back to your apartment that you'd rest and be good."  
  
"I was being good," Helena insisted. "Then I got bored and my hair started annoying me. And I don't have Dinah to argue with."  
  
Barbara shook her head. "I knew you would do this."  
  
"I took a cab to come here, don't worry."  
  
"So let me see if I've got this right okay? You're here because you're bored, you're having a bad hair day and you can't annoy Dinah?" She paused. "And you want me to drive for you?"  
  
"Well... yes." Helena gave her a big smile. "We can go to the hair stylist and then come back for dinner and then you can take me back home again. It'll be a day."   
  
"Fine, fine," Barbara muttered. "But you can forget about me taking back to your place."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I'm not your chauffeur for one and because tomorrow you'll just be back here with another excuse for not taking it easy for two. And for three, I don't want you moving around as much as you are. You need to let your body heal young lady." "Wonderful," Helena laughed. "I see you're already back in Oracle mood. Now, let's go."  
  
Barbara couldn't stop a small smile from forming. She started towards the inside and then stopped. She turned back towards her young charge. "Helena?" "Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Helena smiled and looked at he for a few seconds. "Barbara... can you do me a favor?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"That picture you have of me? The nekkid one? Do me a favor and put it in a box somewhere."  
  
"Helena, it's a cute pic," Barbara insisted. "You were only a year old. Your mom gave it to me." Helena rolled her eyes "Please?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't like being laughed at by Dinah," Helena growled, looking down at her feet. Barbara laughed loudy. "What happened?"  
  
"Nothing happened."  
  
"I'll make you a deal," Barbara started. "I'll hide the picture if you tell me why. What happened?"  
  
Helena sighed dramatically. "Right. Do you remember Dinah's friend, Gabby?" "Sure."  
  
"Well, Dinah and I were hiding and..."   
  
The two women slid into the Clocktower and moved towards the elevator. Alfred who was preparing dinner in the kitchen heard Barbara laugh heartily. It was a good sound. "You what?" Barbara asked, laughing entirely too hard.  
  
"It's not funny." Helena's protested as the doors slid shut behind them. Alfred chuckled to himself and went back to his preparations.  
  
FIN. 


End file.
